MPs are planning to introduce a new law specifically to allow them to remove a protester who has been living outside the House of Commons for more than two years. With all previous attempts to remove Mr Haw having failed – a High Court judge last year ruled that his protest was an expression of freedom of speech as defined by the European convention on human rights – the MPs are now recommending passing a special law which would ban protesters from permanently demonstrating outside Parliament without permission. The move has, however, been labelled “draconian” by civil rights groups.
Obviously stopping him being there altogether is draconian; but people shouldn’t be allowed to shout repetitive slogans through a loudhailer all day outside people’s place of work. Don’t people have a right to expect a reasonable working environment?
Not if they are in Parliament, Jason