Representative Tommy Collinson will lobby MPs in London on Thursday to ask for more social rights for travellers.

Mr Collinson, chairman of the Leeds branch of Justice for Travellers, is demanding all local authorities should be made responsible for travellers within their boundaries.

Speaking to BBC Radio Leeds Mr Collinson said: "What the travelling community and gypsy community want is a return to the 1968 Travelling Act.

'Increased persecution'

"Give us back the sites we used to have, maintain them and give us the education our kids need."

Mr Collinson fears that amendments to the Criminal Justice Bill currently being proposed will result in increased persecution of travellers.

"If you don't move on from private or public land within 24 hours you could be put in prison, have your property confiscated, be fined £6,000 or all three," he said.

"This would make it intolerable. Where are we going to go and where are we going to live?"

Labour MP John Battle MP for Leeds West is backing the travellers in Westminster and said: "We need a national strategy so that there are sufficient sites for people to stay both on a temporary and permanent basis.

"What we cannot do is pass harsh laws to move people on without providing sites for them to go to."