Plans to curb protests criticised

Mr Haw has been protesting for three-and-a-half years

Ministers have been criticised over plans to restrict demonstrations within Parliament Square.

Proposed changes to the law forbid protests within a kilometre of the House of Commons unless permission has been sought from the Met Commissioner.

Demos will have to give notice of six days and loudspeakers will be banned.

MPs said the tighter controls were aimed at ending Worcestershire man Brian Haw's three-and-a-half year anti-war protest in the square.

Liberal Democrat Lembit Opik asked how the government could justify curtailing free speech for everyone, simply because they felt "uncomfortable about one individual's determination to exercise that right".

A number of people were hurt during pro-hunt demonstrations

Junior Home Office minister Caroline Flint denied ministers were trying to prevent free speech.

She said: "This isn't about banning demonstrations - it is about allowing demonstrations with conditions imposed on them."

Mr Haw, from Redditch, has been camped out with a collection of placards opposite the Palace of Westminster since 2001.

The proposed restrictions follow months of noisy demonstrations outside Parliament and violent protests involving pro-hunt supporters.

On Monday demonstrators were out in support of Mr Haw as MPs debated the Serious Organised Crime and Police Bill.