Brian Haw: 24-hour protester

The peace protestor who has spent nearly four years in a continuous demonstration in Parliament Square will stand as a candidate for Westminster in the general election.

Brian Haw's 24-hour-a-day protest opposite the Houses of Parliament is targeted against US/UK policies on Iraq and the ongoing 'war on terror'.

He will stand as an independent candidate for the Cities of London and Westminster constituency, under the banner of the 'Parliament Square peace campaign'.

After making the announcement on Thursday, Haw said: "I am honoured to be nominated and glad this is officially accepted.

"Now I respectfully state my case - of the people, by the people, for the people."

The decision to stand is partly a response to the government's attempts to remove his protest from opposite the Palace of Westminster.

In one of the last acts to be passed before the dissolution of parliament, the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act included a number of measures which will severely restrict protests close to the building.

It is widely thought that Haw is the main target of this part of the Act.

Haw said that as a parliamentary candidate, he will offer none of the usual election campaign bribes or "pledges".

But he said: "I will give my all as an advocate of people's needs and rights.

"In me, you have a person who has proven he cannot be bought off and who has demonstrated actively that he gives, cares and shares with every ounce of his being.

"As an MP, I would use my experience and knowledge, gained from all the good people I have met on this pavement, to help change the way our society is run."