The government has cut ties with Greenpeace, after the environmental group protested the the Prime Minister’s home.
Activists from the group scaled Rishi Sunak’s Northallerton mansion and draped an oil black cloth over it in protest at his climate policies.
A spokesperson for the Prime Minister told the BBC that engagement with the group was no longer “appropriate” following the stunt. The spokesperson also said that the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs was no longer engaging with the group.
The move follows the Prime Minister’s defence of his to grant more North Sea oil and gas licenses, he said that they were entirely consistent with net zero commitments and emphasised the need to get oil and gas at home.
“I think it’s really important for everyone to recognise that even in 2050 when we are at net zero, it is forecast that around a quarter of our energy needs will still come from oil and gas, that is why technologies like carbon capture and storage are important,” he said to the BBC.
The four activists, who spent a total of five hours on the building, were arrested by North Yorkshire police following the action.
Subscribe to Sustainability Beat for free
Sign up here to get the latest sustainability news sent straight to your inbox each morning
Speaking on the decision not to engage with Greenpeace, the organisation’s non-executive director Will McCallum said, “burying your head in the sand isn’t going to make the climate crisis go away.”
“It’s precisely because the government has effectively shut the door to civil society groups, like Greenpeace, as well as ignoring warnings from the UN, its own advisors and the International Energy Agency, that we need to protest in the way that we do.”
He continued: “The bunker mentality on display from this government is deeply damaging – cutting ties with Greenpeace isn’t going to help. We represent the views of millions of our supporters and have a mandate to hold the government to account”.
He added that “the public wants to see bold action on climate but the decisions that Sunak is making are pouring fuel on the fire”.
“Whether or not the government continues to engage with Greenpeace, people will make their views heard at the next election”.
