Just Stop Oil activist says she’d be ‘delighted’ if people protest outside her home

Sarah Lunnon, a co-founder of Just Stop Oil, faced a backlash after she wrote an opinion piece in the Guardian – KEN McKAY/SHUTTERSTOCK

A co-founder of Just Stop Oil has insisted she would be “delighted” if people protested peacefully outside her home as she defended activists targeting MPs at their private residences.

Sarah Lunnon faced a backlash after she wrote an opinion piece in the Guardian in which she claimed the Labour Party was too supportive of the finance sector and had sympathy for Right-wing think tanks.

Ms Lunnon said in the article that Just Stop Oil “was asking Labour MPs at their offices, in their constituencies, and at their homes to find their courage” to oppose Conservative Party policies on oil and gas.

Stella Creasy, a former shadow minister, argued the activist’s remarks were evidence of an “infection in our body politic” and she was scared to speak out against the green pressure group because it “puts me in the sightlines of the organisation”.

In an interview with BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Ms Lunnon was asked by Nick Robinson how she would feel if he and a group of his friends picketed her home.

“Nick, if you want to come outside my house, I would be delighted to meet you,” she replied.

“If you come and do that non-violently, absolutely, come and stand outside my house, of course.

“If I am responsible for planning the deaths of millions of people, then I think I deserve to have people outside my home, asking me to stop doing that, to stop planning to kill people. We are looking at the loss of a habitable planet.

“This is not a policy issue, this is an issue of life on earth, the conditions that allow us to carry on living… What we are seeing today and what is happening to our politics and our politicians is the result of a failing political system,” said Ms Lunnon.

The safety of MPs has come under renewed focus after pro-Palestine protesters last week targeted the home of Tobias Ellwood, a senior Conservative MP, and accused him of being “complicit in genocide”.

Sixteen Just Stop Oil protesters were arrested in November following a demonstration outside Rishi Sunak’s west London home. A month later, activists from the group gathered at the home of Sir Keir Starmer to demand he commit to cancelling all new oil and gas licences.

Responding directly to Ms Creasy’s comments, Ms Lunnon said:  “I think we all deserve to feel safe in our homes. I completely agree with Stella Creasy on that.

“But there comes a point where our politicians are failing to represent us and that’s what we’re seeing today, over a vast array of issues, our politicians failing to do what’s needed. Their constituents might want to hold them to account.”

Stella Creasy, a former shadow minister, argued the activist’s remarks were evidence of an ‘infection in our body politic’ – GEOFF PUGH FOR THE TELEGRAPH

Ms Lunnon claimed climate change meant there “comes a point where we are not safe in our homes”, adding: “I think we have a duty to do everything we can, non-violently, to make sure we are protected.

“And if that means asking MPs at their homes to commit to ending Tory oil and gas, then I think that’s an okay thing to do.”

Police breaking up a Just Stop Oil protest outside Rishi Sunak’s London home – JUST STOP OIL/PA

Meanwhile James Cleverly has said it is “nonsense” for protesters outside MPs’ homes to claim they are not seeking to intimidate.

“Someone saying: ‘I’m standing outside someone’s private house in numbers, but we don’t seek to intimidate’. I’m sorry, that’s clearly nonsense,” the Home Secretary told the Today programme.

“Where a mob of people are outside someone’s private residence, clearly with the intention of distorting their future votes, that is unacceptable and we expect the police to deal with it.”

He said police already have the powers that they need to stop protests outside MPs’ homes and offices, “and we also want them to understand that they have our backing when they use those powers”.

“The only thing that politicians should fear is the ballot box,” Mr Cleverly said.

Direct protesters away

Government ministers reminded police officers of their powers in the wake of the protest outside Mr Ellwood’s home, with the Criminal Justice Act allowing officers to direct protesters away from residential homes to prevent alarm, distress or harassment.

Dorset Police chose not to break up that particular demonstration and said it attended the scene “to ensure people could exercise their right to protest legally and safely”.

The Telegraph revealed on Thursday that a forthcoming review by Lord Walney, the prime minister’s adviser, will call for greater powers to break up protests outside Parliament and the constituency offices of MPs.

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