Rishi Sunak’s home was covered in an “oily-black fabric” this morning by environmentalists protesting his latest policy on drilling in the North Sea.
On Monday, the prime minister announced he had approved hundreds of oil and gas licences in North Sea, in an effort to shore up the UK’s “energy security”, so the country isn’t reliant on “foreign dictators”, like Vladimir Putin.
Then, on Thursday morning, shortly after Sunak flew to California with his family on holiday, four activists from Greenpeace climbed his home in his constituency using ladders and climbing ropes.
They covered the PM’s £2 million, Grade II-listed Yorkshire mansion in 200 square metres of black material, completely concealing one side of the property.
Two others held a banner with the words, “Rishi Sunak – Oil Profits or Our Future?” across the grass in front of the property.
In a statement, Greenpeace said: “The controversial move flies in the face of multiple warnings from the government’s own climate advisers, the International Energy Agency and the UN Secretary General that any new fossil fuel projects risk tipping the world into the danger zone above 1.5C of warming.
“The move, part of a series of climate policy row-backs following the Uxbridge by-election results, comes amidst a summer of devastating wildfires, floods and heatwaves.”
On its website, the environmental non-profit said these policies won’t lower bills, and called for the public to tweet at the government with #NoNewOil and #StopRosebank.
It added: “We’ve seen governments make countless U-turns when enough public pressure is put on them. Let’s force Rishi Sunak to pick a side: oil profits or our future?”
Greenpeace’s UK climate campaigner Philip Evans also commented: “We desperately need our prime minister to be a climate leader, not a climate arsonist.”
Evans said it needs a “clean affordable energy system fit for the 21st century”.
No.10 responded to the incident, saying: “The police are in attendance.
“We make no apology for taking the right approach to ensure our energy security, using the resources we have here at home so we are never reliant on aggressors like Putin for our energy.
“We are also investing in renewables and our approach supports 1,000s of British jobs.”
Four protesters returned to the ground around 1.15pm and were arrested.
No one entered the building in the protest, according to the North Yorkshire Police.
Deputy PM Oliver Dowden later said he thought the British population were “sick of these stunts” when asked about the protest.