27 October 2021
Insulate Britain has blocked part of the A40 in West London and a roundabout in Dartford this morning after declaring the M25 a site of nonviolent civil resistance yesterday. We are demanding that the government gets on with the job of insulating Britain’s homes, starting with the homes of the poorest people in the country.
The action comes in the wake of a super injunction granted to National Highways on Monday, which prohibits people from Insulate Britain from interfering with traffic on any part of the strategic road network in England. This is one of four temporary injunctions granted to National Highways and Transport for London in recent weeks.
This is the fifteenth time that Insulate Britain has caused disruption on motorways and A roads as part of our campaign of nonviolent civil resistance over the past six weeks. So far,
146 people have taken part in the campaign and there have been 690 arrests.
Suzie, 47, from Cambridge, who works in childcare, said:
“If going to prison and losing my home is what it takes to get the government to do the right thing and cut our carbon emissions then it’s a price worth paying. I can’t be a bystander while this government betrays the public, our children and future generations by failing to defend our country from the climate crisis.
“Insulating Britain’s leaky homes has to come first. It will cut out a huge chunk of our carbon emissions, help families struggling with their energy bills and end fuel poverty. It’s such a basic first step that you have to wonder why the government refuses to act. Don’t they care?”
Ben, 36, a geologist from Somerset said:
“Faced with 8,500 people dying from cold homes this winter and gaping holes in government carbon plans, I’m joining others and returning to the motorways. We cannot wait until the next election, this is not a party political issue. We need to insulate and retrofit homes now to cut our carbon emissions or we will jeopardize the future of the country and the entire world.
“There is widespread agreement that insulating our homes is urgent and necessary and that government plans are inadequate. The only question remaining is: will you join us on the motorway to demand action now?”
ENDS
Press contact: 07737 457105
Email: insulatebritainpress@protonmail.com
High quality photos and video footage available here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Kucq-NfhnZLGJWwLx1HX03cWR7M9Y2-m
Website: https://www.insulatebritain.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/insulatebritain
Twitter: https://twitter.com/insulatelove
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8N5mAeeCLbD-AFUqtPaF0g
Notes to Editors
[1] https://eciu.net/insights/2021/gaps-in-new-strategy-leave-uk-homes-leaking-heat
About Insulate Britain
Insulate Britain is a new campaign group that is calling on the UK government to put in place policy and funding for a national home insulation programme starting with all social housing.
We demand the Prime Minister and the government to #getonwiththejob, face up to their responsibility and lead our country through the climate crisis.
We are ordinary British citizens with simple and achievable demands to #INSULATEBRITAIN
The UK government must immediately promise to fully fund and take responsibility for the insulation of all social housing in Britain.
We demand a national home insulation strategy that gives British people the justice they deserve: a future for our loved ones, lower energy bills and safer living conditions.
We are scared: our livelihoods are at risk and the futures of our children are uncertain
The Climate Crisis is a threat to all: we demand the government to act now.
Our Demands
1. That the UK government immediately promises to fully fund and take responsibility for the insulation of all social housing in Britain by 2025;
2. That the UK government immediately promises to produce within four months a legally binding national plan to fully fund and take responsibility for the full low-energy and low-carbon whole-house retrofit , with no externalised costs, of all homes in Britain by 2030 as part of a just transition to full decarbonisation of all parts of society and the economy.
Further information about Insulate Britain and our demands here: https://www.insulatebritain.com/
Technical Report on home energy efficiency here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1jt5FI-kinEXoqZtPDrCvnAVQ2EFn8Aea/view
Insulate Britain ‘Blue Lights’ policy: our policy is, and has always been to move out of the way for emergency vehicles with ‘blue lights’ on.