Protester wins megaphone battle

Mr Haw, 56, has camped in Parliament Square opposite the House of Commons for five years and uses a megaphone to attack Government policy on Iraq.

But when he sought permission to use a small battery-operated loudspeaker last September, the council refused.

A High Court judge quashed the refusal after Westminster lawyers conceded that the decision could not stand.

In the past, some MPs complained that he was disrupting their work with his noise.

On Thursday, the council conceded that Mr Haw's legal challenge should be allowed and agreed to pay his legal costs.

It was also agreed that a differently-constituted licensing sub-committee should consider his application again in 21 days.

Mr Haw, of Worcestershire, had argued that the refusal was an interference of his right to freedom of expression under the European Convention on Human Rights.

Last month Mr Haw's camp was raided and he was charged with breaching conditions of his demonstration.

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