Commons tightens up on guests

The Speaker today announced tight restrictions on MPs taking guests into public galleries of the House of Commons.

In a statement to the House, Michael Martin said only his personal guests would be allowed access to the public galleries in front of a special security screen.

The new guidelines follow last week's security scare when protesters pelted Tony Blair with flour bombs during Prime Minister's Questions.

Mr Martin said an interim report on security at Westminster would be produced "as soon as possible".

The review could see armed security guards in the Chamber and an extension of the screen to cover all the public galleries.

In the meantime, MPs would not be able to sponsor guests to the public gallery. Journalists are also barred from taking colleagues into the press gallery.

A farmer who admitted throwing three flour-filled condoms during last week's incident in the Commons was fined £600 today.

Guy Harrison, 36, of Ashurst, West Sussex, pleaded guilty to a public order offence at Bow Street magistrates' court. Patrick Ronald Davis, 48, of Worthing, pleaded not guilty to the same charge and was remanded on conditional bail until 9 June.