Just Stop Oil supporters briefly gathered outside Keir Starmer’s house to sing ‘climate-criminal’ Christmas carols. They are demanding that, as the likely leader of the next UK government, Keir Starmer commit to cancelling all new oil and gas licences, including those already greenlit by the current government. [1]
At around 8:30pm, a group of nine supporters of Just Stop Oil gathered outside Keir Starmer’s London residence to deliver a letter and to sing re-imagined versions of Christmas carols and popular songs- calling on Starmer to end all new oil, gas and coal projects in the UK. The supporters could be seen holding signs saying “Revoke Rosebank” and “Arrest the real criminals”.
Police ordered the group to disperse under section 42 of the criminal justice and police act and ordered them to leave the vicinity of the premises for three months or they would be arrested.
Although Keir Starmer has stated that Labour will end new oil and gas projects in the UK, Labour has so far refused to cancel the new fossil fuel projects approved by Rishi Sunak’s government. This includes Rosebank, a project that is destined to emit more carbon into the atmosphere than 28 whole countries combined. [2]
The carolers delivered a letter to Keir Starmer which can be read here. [3]
One of those serenading Starmer this evening is Rory, from London, who is 25, and works as a secondary school teacher. He said:
“Beyond the culture wars and political point scoring, our world is at a crisis point. Our homes and our families are under threat. Our political system is failing us. At a time where bold leadership is required to deal with the multiple crises we face, Labour are promising more of the same.
Failing to revoke new oil licences would be tantamount to ‘rubber-stamping’ the last ditch, ‘slash and burn’ actions of the current Tory leadership, who are hell-bent on enriching themselves and those they serve in the oil and gas lobby. This complicity is nothing short of a crime against humanity.”
Another of those ‘singing for Starmer’ is Rosie, aged 50, who works as an editor. She said:
“Starmer knows he needs to do the right thing for his children, and that is to cancel all new oil and gas licences if he gets to number 10. He is a former human rights lawyer, he should know the difference between right and wrong.
History will not be kind to those who knew how bad the situation was with the climate, but allowed the extremists in the Tory party and oil lobby to destroy everything for their own selfish enrichment- killing millions in the process. The Tories have no mandate to issue these licences, and as PM, Starmer’s obligation is to serve the public who want action on the climate crisis now. ”
There have been 670 arrests of Just Stop Oil supporters since October 30th. There are currently three Just Stop Oil supporters in prison, two of which have been imprisoned for peacefully marching in the road. They join Marcus Decker, who has been imprisoned for over a year of his 2 years 7 months sentence. Fourteen Just Stop Oil supporters are currently under electronic tag surveillance. [4]
Continued expansion of new oil and gas will bring about the wholesale destruction of ordered society and an end to the rule of law. We are not prepared to watch while the government continues to serve the interests of a few, at the expense of everyone else. It’s up to all of us to come together and resist. It is the will of the overwhelming majority of people that we take the actions necessary to ensure our survival and together we can make it happen.
Our government are the real criminals – imprisoning peaceful people for taking proportionate action to protect their communities, whilst licensing more than 100 new oil and gas projects, which will destroy everything we value. We’re coming together to demand an end to new oil and gas. It’s not a case of ‘if’ we will win; but ‘when’.
ENDS
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Notes to Editors
[1] Just Stop Oil is a coalition of groups working together to demand that the government immediately halt all future licensing and consents for the exploration, development and production of fossil fuels in the UK. Just Stop Oil is a member of the A22 Network of civil resistance projects.
Just Stop Oil ‘Blue Lights’ policy: our policy is, and has always been, to move out of the way for emergency vehicles with siren sounding and ‘blue lights’ on.
[2] https://www.stopcambo.org.uk/updates/everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-rosebank-oil-field
[3] Letter to Keir Starmer: https://juststopoil.org/2023/12/14/just-stop-oils-christmas-message-to-keir-starmer/
