Anti-war protesters in the square, Brian Haw and actor Michael Culver

BRIAN Haw’s voice can once again be heard sounding out in Parliament Square, thanks to a permanent new audio monument.

And There Was Brian – featuring several interviews with the veteran peace campaigner and his comrades – can be listened only in close proximity to his former camp.

The Museum of London has more than 800 objects associated with Mr Haw’s protest that was created with actor Michael Culver, Mr Haw’s longest serving supporter, who died last year.

The artist and researcher behind the project, Guy Atkins, said: “The interview with him is one that was recorded in the square. At the end of when he speaks, Big Ben strikes. It’s half the magic.

“On the website, you can go to where Brian’s camp was. It is 36 minutes long and Brian comes in a lot, sometimes singing and also in a monologue. There’s some audio about the House of Commons.

“When that comes on it feels like the building has come alive.”

He added: “I think if the idea is good enough, people will want to use it. I think it’s really important that it’s in the site, when you hear it and you are standing there it is very powerful.”

Guy Atkins in Parliament Square with Michael Culver, who died in February 2024, aged 85

Mr Atkins said that he had written some code for a website that made it only work in Parliament Square.

“It works against the principles of the internet,” he said.

“It limits it by GPS so the play button doesn’t work until you step into the island of Parliament Square. Then it goes red, and you can press play.”

Mr Atkins got the idea while working with Mr Haw’s co-campaigner Michael Culver at the Museum of London on a “Save Our Placards” research project.

This project pioneers alternative means for devising and performing monuments in public places.

“In one way, the monument only exists when people use it.

“In another, it exists permanently in the square. And even if you are on your own when you listen to it, there is a real sense of being with others as you do.”

Close to the Imperial War Museum, Amanda Ward Culver’s bronze of Brian Haw, being unveiled

Brian Haw remains an icon of the anti-war movement in this country. He would routinely blast criticism at MPs as they entered parliament and fixed photographs of child casualties of Britain’s wars with “STOP KILLING CHILDREN” placards set up around his tent.

Then Labour prime minister Tony Blair’s government passed special legislation in an attempt to stop his demonstration from Parliament Square.

Ironically the law that was passed could not be applied to Mr Haw as his protest had preceded it.

He only left his protest for cancer treatment in 2011, shortly before he died aged 62.

Amanda Ward Culver, who made a statue of Brian that was unveiled in south London last week, was also part of the project, along with audio producer Nina Garthwaite, sound artist James Bulley and photographer Simon Roberts.

Dr Stefania Donini, a curator who tried out the project after it was set up this week, said: “Brian’s speech is so simple yet poignant.

“I left the square thinking that the act of ‘having to be there with your body’’ in order to listen to those voices, is a crucial aspect that makes the monument.”

To hear Brian again go to Parliament Square – switch on your location settings – and visit https://www.andtherewasbrian.uk/