Greenpeace shouldn’t get ‘seat at the table’ in Government discussions – No 10
T
he Government has lower ties with Greenpeace following an anti-oil protest focusing on Rishi Sunak’s constituency dwelling.
No 10 mentioned the environmental group shouldn’t be given “a seat at the table” in discussions of climate-related points throughout Whitehall after the stunt final Thursday.
The transfer expands on orders given to civil servants within the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) final week to finish engagement with Greenpeace till additional discover.
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman mentioned: “We obviously don’t think that people who are accused of breaking the law should have a seat at the table in discussions with Government.
“My understanding is that Defra aren’t engaging with Greenpeace because of those actions.
“I don’t think it’s unusual for Defra or other agencies to engage with climate action groups – that’s taken place for a number of years.
“But clearly, given their actions and the arrests last week, we don’t think it’s appropriate to engage with them.”
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero lower ties with Greenpeace some months in the past.
A Government spokesman mentioned: “Greenpeace’s criminal activity last week demonstrates that they are not a serious organisation, therefore, we do not think it’s appropriate to engage with them.”
Greenpeace defended the protest amid a backlash as “carefully and meticulously” deliberate for when the Prime Minister, his spouse and kids had been on vacation in California, amid a backlash over safety considerations.
The group mentioned ending engagement with its representatives “isn’t going to work” because it accused ministers of espousing a “bunker mentality” about local weather points.
Will McCallum, UK co-executive director of Greenpeace, mentioned: “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 advisers and the International Energy Agency, that we need to protest in the way that we do.
“The bunker mentality on display from this current 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.”
A gaggle of demonstrators had scaled Mr Sunak’s Grade II-listed constituency manor home to protest towards plans to grant greater than 100 new licences for oil and fuel extraction within the North Sea.
The activists draped an oil-black cloth from the roof, staying there from about 8am to 1.15pm, once they had been arrested and later bailed amid an ongoing investigation by North Yorkshire Police.