The Sunday Times has a front page story by the usually well informed / well leaked to David Cracknell:
The Sunday Times June 24, 2007 Brown to allow Iraq protests David Cracknell Political EditorGORDON BROWN is to make a symbolic gesture to critics of the Iraq war by allowing antiwar protesters to demonstrate and march outside parliament.
This will reverse legislation introduced by Tony Blair two years ago to restrict the rights of people to camp on Parliament Square and install banners criticising the government.
We will believe it when we see the relevant legislation repealed.
The move, one of the announcements planned for the new prime minister’s first 100 days in office, comes amid encouraging opinion polls for Brown. It will be an early sign that Brown intends to be more sympathetic to critics of the war, although it will disappoint those who have been calling for him to declare an immediate withdrawal of troops from Iraq.
The SOCPA section 132 legislation affects all protests and undefined "demonstrations" not just anti-Iraq war ones.
The restored right to protest outside parliament will be combined with plans to bolster the protection of the Palace of Westminster and key ministries and government buildings along Whitehall. The Sunday Times has seen a memo from Sir Richard Mottram, chairman of the joint intelligence committee, outlining plans to erect barriers, walls, balustrades and bollards around Parliament Square.
If these further restrict the access of the public to lobby their Members' of Parliament, and to observe Parliamentary democracy in action, then the terrorists will have won another propaganda victory.
Brown believes the right of the public to protest and demonstrate is crucial to democracy, although he is said to be aware of MPs’ concerns that previous noisy demonstrations in Parliament Square have caused an eyesore and distracted workers in nearby buildings.One Brown ally said last night: “The legitimate right to peaceful protests, marches and rallies does not mean the right to set up permanent eyesores in the square or the right to abuse policemen and passers-by.”
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Brown’s decision to revisit the ban on protests follows his promise to restore the primacy of parliament and to give MPs more opportunities to hold the government to account, including allowing them the right to vote on any future military action.
The government introduced legislation in July 2005 banning unauthorised protests within half a mile of parliament. Brian Haw, the long-time protester, has been allowed to remain camped in the square as a court ruled that his protest had begun before the legislation came into force.
Yesterday, demonstrators took advantage of confusion over Haw’s legal situation by setting up a small antiwar camp in the square as police looked on.
[...]
One thing which has obviously not changed under Gordon Brown, is the briefing of the Sunday mainstream media with supposedly secret Government memos regarding national security, when it suits the political spin doctors to do so., in order to fly a political kite, without bothering to have a debate in Parliament about the issues involved.
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