Today motorway traffic on the M25 during rush hour was brought to a standstill for a second time this week by campaigners from Insulate Britain, a new group demanding the government gets on with insulating Britain’s homes.
Campaigners, including members from Cornwall, have taken to the roads in an act of civil disobedience in order to bring attention to their cause.
Today marks the second time the group have taken to motorways across the UK, having several members arrested in the process
Approximately 89 people from Insulate Britain, which has members from all over the country, blocked roundabouts and a carriageway on the M25 early this morning.
Insulate Britain says actions will continue until the government makes a meaningful commitment to insulate Britain’s 29 million leaky homes, some of the oldest and most energy inefficient in Europe.
Nathaniel Squire, a 25 year old Osteopath from Redruth said: "Insulating Britain’s homes is a simple step to take to decarbonise Britain.
"Not only is it a necessary step towards achieving the government's net zero targets but it also helps millions of vulnerable people in Britain.
"Working as a healthcare professional I know that many who struggle due to fuel poverty will only increase as the planet continues to warm unless we do something now.
"The Insulate Britain campaign is holding the government to account regarding their net zero targets."
Harry Barlow, a 25 year-old, Solar Engineer from Falmouth said: "Although I actively chose a career in the renewable energy sector, I feel like I need to do more to prepare this country for the oncoming effects of climate change.
"I currently don’t feel like the government's efforts to combat climate change are enough.
"I’m taking part in this action because I believe the government must move faster on combating climate change and reducing CO2 emissions.
"Insulating homes not only in line with Conservative party political promises but as an obvious an easy win in the battle to reduce emissions."
Read Next:
A spokesperson from Insulate Britain said: "There is something out there called the real world.
"For thirty years our politicians have been told that the real world is going to destroy all we love.
"That real world is the climate, nature itself.
"But they have done nothing.
"The world is burning and burning, each year worse than the year before.
"And still our politicians do not act.
"We will keep going until the government responds.
"Until it overcomes its complacency and cowardice and fulfils its first and most sacred duty: to protect the people of this country from harm.
"All we ask is that it makes a public statement that we can trust – that commits to the first step, to start the insulation of our homes.
"As soon as this happens we will leave the roads.
"In the meantime they can arrest us, they can put us in prison, they can do what they want to us.
"We know who we are and what we have to do.
"And what will be will be."
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel