HE HAS accused them of driving a “coach and horses” through planning laws time after time.

Now Billericay MP John Baron has “softened” his stance towards illegal traveller sites, according to a priest who took him on a secret visit to Dale Farm, Crays Hill.

Mr Baron is urging the Government to find land outside the district to temporarily accommodate 86 families facing eviction.

It comes after years of his arguing those who break planning laws should not be rewarded with homes and sidestep housing queues.

The Tory MP got 5,000 names on a petition against Government plans to move the travellers to Pitsea in 2006, saying it was a “reward”.

He visited Dale Farm with Father John Glynn, of Our Lady of Good Counsel Catholic church, Wickford – an ardent supporter of the travellers – a week before the House of Lords announced they must leave the site.

Mr Glynn said: “He came on the proviso I meet with settled residents.

“After talking to people face-to-face, his stance softened. He accepted the community does not want to be broken up.”

Mr Baron previously refused to visit the camp, claiming as a “planning issue” there was nothing to discuss.

He helped Basildon councillor John Dornan organises a “battlebus” protest at Westminster against Dale Farm in January 2007.

This happened after the Echo published evidence of people there owning other sites and coming from houses in Wolverhampton and Rathkeale, County Limerick, Ireland, in our Travellers: The Truth series.

Mr Dornan said: “He has maintained people should not be rewarded after breaking planning rules.

“If they are threatened with homelessness, they should apply to the council. I do not know why he is circumventing this.”

After the visit, Mr Baron asked the Government to identify public land for a site to avoid an eviction.

He said the visit was to urge people to move off to avoid eviction.

When asked why he appeared to have reversed his stance against rewarding planning law breakers or allowing people to dodge housing lists, he did not respond.