A NEW Forest MP has spoken of the shocking moment when five pro-hunt protesters broke into the House of Commons.

Desmond Swayne, Conservative MP for New Forest West, was in the commons chamber when the protesters burst in and ran shouting towards members during the hunting debate. He said the invasion must have been an inside job.

Mr Swayne describes parliament as a "warren of corridors" with "electronically sealed doors" that would be impossible for an outsider to negotiate without prior intelligence of the layout and security systems.

"I believe there's now going to be a thorough investigation but the protesters must have had intelligence of the layout and door locks to get in and find their way round," he said.

"When they initially burst in it was a complete surprise. With the balcony security screen now in place we were under the impression that the chamber was secure.

"What annoys me even more is that the timetable for discussing the hunting bill was already tight and we lost even more time to do so. I was there to speak on the bill."

Chris Chope, MP for Christchurch, was not in the chamber at the time but said he heard the protesters were dressed as electrical engineers and had been led to the entrance of the chamber by a pass holder.

Jim Knight, MP for South Dorset, was not in the commons but agreed the protesters must have had prior knowledge.

"Judging the way the route they took it sounds like they were people who know their way around or have been shown their way around by someone at some point," he said.

"They came round the back, up some stairs and into the chamber. You would really have to know your way around to do it.

"I think it is very embarrassing for the house authorities here having been through the business of the Fathers 4 Justice with the purple flower. We have agreed to spend over £1 million on a security screen but if people can just walk into the chamber it makes a mockery of all the decisions of members of parliament."

John Butterfill MP for Bournemouth East said: "It is clearly a disgraceful lapse of security."

First published: Sept 16