On the 14th December 2023, a group of Just Stop Oil Christmas carolers, singing ‘climate criminal’ carols, delivered the following letter to Keir Starmer:
Dear Keir,
We, alongside the majority of the British public, welcomed your commitment to protecting the lives of the British public, as well as the lives of countless others around the world, by ending new oil and gas projects in the UK.
The impacts of burning fossil fuels are plain for all to see. Floods, fires, famine and drought. This year is the hottest on record. Already, we are seeing millions forced outside of the conditions suitable for supporting human life, and scientists are warning that we are on-course for mass crop failure and potential societal collapse if we continue on this trajectory.
Since your initial statement, you appear to have wavered in your commitment to show real leadership on this issue. Your refusal to cancel the new oil and gas licences that are being approved by the current government (which includes the obscene Rosebank, a project that will emit more carbon into the atmosphere than 28 whole countries combined) is nothing short of a crime against humanity.
This is the most critical juncture in human history and you will likely soon be in the fortunate position where you can enact real, meaningful change. The ramifications of the decisions you make, if you come to power, will be felt by the next thousand generations or more. As a father, it is certain that the lives of your son and daughter mean everything to you. What is the world that they are to inherit if we continue on this path? What kind of lives will they live in a world of increasingly unstable weather, extreme heat, drought, flooding, famine, disease and war?
Our families deserve better. All of us need to consider how we will answer our children when they ask us ‘what did you do’ to avert this unfolding crisis. You have a choice. You can join a long list of politicians that promised change and delivered nothing, knowing full well that insufficient action is killing people right now and will result in the deaths of countless millions more. Or you can make a commitment to cancel all licences approved by the current government and end all future licensing and consents for fossil fuel exploration and extraction in the UK. Such a commitment would effectively end these projects now, enabling a transition to cheap, clean, green energy- cutting our bills; whilst ensuring a fair transition for those working in oil and gas into the sustainable jobs of the future.
How do you want to be remembered Keir? As the ghost of Christmas past? Or as the man who gave us a future? It’s time for action, not words.
Merry Christmas and a happy new year, to you and all your family.
Kind regards,
Just Stop Oil
