Protest groups are taking action across London to highlight fuel poverty

Agitators from the groups ‘Don’t Pay in Britain’ and ‘Fuel Poverty Action’ held what they called a ‘warm-up’ at the British Museum and Stratford-Westfield on Saturday afternoon.

The groups staged a protest against rising electricity bills and “skyrocketing” levels of fuel poverty.

The warming protests involve “occupying space for unauthorized warm banking and drawing attention to skyrocketing rates of fuel shortages,” the group said.

Other protests will take place at a shopping center in Manchester, as well as in Liverpool, Brighton and Bristol.

Members of Just Stop Oil staged their own protest, occupying beds and sofas in Harrods, demanding the government insulate homes and end Britain’s dependence on fossil fuels.

After displaying signs such as “just stop oil, just start isolation”, “just stop fuel poverty” and “oil equals death”, the group was escorted by security guards.

A spokesman for Just Stop Oil said: “This government is allowing ordinary people to starve and freeze this winter as greedy energy companies squeeze every penny out of us. Medical services are in crisis, workers’ wages are being cut, and nurses are using food banks. Austerity is a political choice and the cost of living crisis is an unprovoked attack on ordinary people.

“Worse still, skyrocketing energy prices are funding companies that set the climate on fire. Rishi Sunak’s government plans to allow more than 100 new fossil fuel projects in the UK. They sign our death warrants. New oil and gas is a crime, an act of genocide against billions of people in the poorest countries on earth and an act of war against the youth.

“If the government really cared about ordinary people, as they continue to claim, we would see an emergency response to the climate and cost of living crisis. Everyone would meet their basic energy needs and bills would be reduced by insulation, renewable energy and free public transport paid for by fossil fuel companies and the rich.”

Neil Smith, spokesman for Don’t Pay, said: “No one should have to freeze in winter, but we are seeing massive defaults on these predatory electricity bills and thousands of people freezing in their homes.

“While the government stands by, we come together in our communities to fight back and warm each other.”

The Don’t Pay campaign previously attracted attention for encouraging people to cancel direct debits on their electricity bills in response to “mass defaults” already taking place among those who cannot afford to heat their homes.

The groups are calling on the government to immediately address the energy and cost-of-living crisis by introducing the Energy for All programme, defined as “a universal free range of energy to meet people’s needs”.

This will be paid for by “ending public subsidies for fossil fuels, introducing a more effective windfall tax for energy companies and increasing energy tariffs for elite households”.

Stuart Bretherton, Coordinator of Fuel Poverty Action, said: “Energy for All will achieve what our energy system and economy should ultimately aim for, ensuring that everyone’s basic needs are met.

“Ordinary people cannot continue to pay for crises caused by the rich, it’s time for big polluters and speculators to pay their share.”

“Through this, we could also stimulate much-needed climate action to insulate homes and switch to renewable energy.”