Clampdown urged on Commons protests

Brian Haw has been protesting since 2001

New laws should be introduced to stop protesters from setting up permanent camps outside Parliament, say House of Commons officials.

The call was partly sparked by the long-time demonstrations of anti-war campaigner Brian Haw, who fought off a court attempt to evict him from Parliament Square's pavement.

The police are also preparing to take court action against people using loudspeakers regularly outside Parliament after MPs complained the noise was obstructing their work.

Sir Michael Cummins, the Commons sergeant-at-arms, and Roger Sands, the clerk of the house, made the appeal for new legislation as they appeared before an MPs' inquiry.

'Eyesore'

Labour's David Wright was among MPs arguing that the "rags and flags" of permanent demonstrations in Parliament Square were a blot on what was a World Heritage Site.

Mr Sands said police were able to control demonstrations outside Downing Street tightly because they took place on a restricted public thoroughfare.

The pavement on Parliament Square, led nowhere and so could not come under the same restrictions, the courts had ruled in Mr Haw's case.

If they weren't dropping their noisy bombs, I wouldn't be here with my megaphone calling out for peace

Brian Haw
Long-time protester

"It's the distinction between a one-off demonstration, which is here for a day and then goes and is targeted at a parliamentary event, and a permanent eyesore," he said.

Mr Sands said Commons Speaker Michael Martin had become "agitated" by Mr Haw and his banners.

Security fears were raised by Sir Michael, who worried the permanent demonstrations could be used to hide somebody to impede or even attack an MP.

They were, however, searched three times a day.

Catching attention

Labour MP David Hamilton did not agree that permanent demonstrations should be barred completely and said the Westminster Tube station was as great a security risk.

"I do believe you have got the right to demonstration, the right to express your view," he said.

But the MP was worried that permanent demonstrations meant one-off protests could not use the "prime sites" in Parliament Square.

He suggested there should be time limits for occupying the most prominent protest locations.

Mr Haw, 54, has been camping opposite the Houses of Parliament since June 2001 in protest against the Anglo-American bombing of Iraq.

Noisy neighbour?

He once had a retail shop and manufactured furniture, but now regularly uses a megaphone to get his message across.

However, he says the pro-hunters who demonstrated near him in Parliament Square against the Hunting Bill on Monday, had made more noise than him.

He told BBC News Online: "They say I'm a noisy neighbour, but do you know what I say on the megaphone? 'You are dropping bombs on my neighbours. You are murdering my neighbours' kids'.

"I am shouting out against mass murder and genocide. If they weren't dropping their noisy bombs, I wouldn't be here with my megaphone calling out for peace."

Chaos fears

One-off demonstrations also came under scrutiny in the MPs' inquiry because of fears they sometimes blocked access to Parliament.

Committee chairman Sir Nicholas Winterton said there had been "almost anarchy" when schoolchildren had laid down in the road outside Parliament in a protest before the Iraq war.

The sergeant-at-arms said police had been "reluctant" to move the children for fear of litigation if they sustained a graze or other injury.

"The police are always very willing to listen to whatever they can to cooperate with us," said Sir Michael.

"But I am afraid they are bound by current legislation which it appears does not enable them to do as much as they could formally."

He acknowledged the Home Office might raise concerns about new legislation covering Parliament Square protests on human rights ground.