The squatters' peace camp in Parliament Square is to be banned, a Cabinet minister said today.
Commons Leader Sir George Young told MPs that new legislation would end the long-running fiasco where protesters' tents spring up on the historic square within days of being cleared away by police.
Sir George said that the ongoing demonstration, centred on peace campaigner Brian Haw, was "wholly unacceptable" and said legislation was being considered to "put the situation right".
In July, peace protesters who had been camping in the square since May as part of the "democracy village" were evicted after a legal battle. But many have returned to the pavement opposite the Houses of Parliament. Tory MP David Tredinnick said that the situation was worse than it was in the summer, "with 20 illegally-placed tents on the pavement".
Sir George replied: "I think this is wholly unacceptable — it's not what one should see in the centre of a historic capital city, and we are going to consider legislation in the forthcoming Home Office Bill to put the situation right."
It raises the prospect of Mr Haw, who has been camped at the square since 1991, being removed. But police sources think crowds could move into the square to resist any attempt to evict Mr Haw, who has become a figurehead for some peace protesters.
