17 November 2021
Today Emma Smart’s hunger strike at HMP Bronzefield continues into its fifth day as the Insulate Britain supporter vows to continue until the government “gets on with the job” of insulating Britain’s leaky homes.
Emma, an auntie, biologist and lifelong supporter of action on climate justice, stated her intention to begin an immediate hunger strike as she received a four month prison sentence from Dame Victoria Sharp at the High Court on Wednesday 17th November.
Speaking from prison today Emma said:
“I am doing the only thing I can do. I have stopped eating in solidarity with those who will have to make the choice between heating and eating this winter because of our government’s cowardice.
Today is the fifth day I have refused to eat and I will continue to do so until the government issues a meaningful statement to get on with the job of insulating Britain’s leaky homes. This is a no-brainer that would end fuel poverty as well as be a first step towards drastically reducing the UK’s carbon emissions, something we all know needs to be done. Come on Boris, don’t be a traitor to the British people – get on with the job!”
Emma’s husband, Andy Smith said
“My wife is in prison and facing excessive court costs for breaking an injunction that has been specifically designed to stop people demanding action on the climate emergency. It has been put in place by a genocidal government determined to stifle any dissent. She is a political prisoner.”
Last week the government made a choice to imprison young people rather than protect their futures. On Wednesday, nine ordinary people who had blocked the M25 and other critical roads in defiance of the civil injunctions granted to National Highways and Transport for London, were given prison sentences of between three and six months, with the court ordering that they should serve at least half that time before probation can be considered.
On Friday, the High Court ordered the nine to pay costs of £5,000 each – less than half the sum sought by National Highways Ltd. Dame Victoria Sharp, presiding, remarked that the claimant’s £91,000 costs application was ‘excessive’. Dame Sharp’s remarks echo Emma Smart’s submission to the High Court on 16th November in which she said that National Highways Ltd was “claiming more on postage than I have earnt in the last year.” [1]
Nine more people from Insulate Britain have now received a High Court summons, though it is understood that a committal hearing date for the next group has not yet been specified.
ENDS
Press contact: 07737 457105
Email: insulatebritainpress@protonmail.com
Content Drive for Emma Smart here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1FvFq4G3_Dh40k9TKDqLvUwmkjLmflehe?usp=sharing
High quality photos and video footage available here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Kucq-NfhnZLGJWwLx1HX03cWR7M9Y2-m
Website: https://www.insulatebritain.com/
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Twitter: https://twitter.com/insulatelove
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8N5mAeeCLbD-AFUqtPaF0g
Notes to Editors
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.