Greenpeace activists “occupied” the House of Parliament on Monday to call for a “proper windfall tax” on oil and gas companies.
About 30 protestors entered Westminster, carrying with them energy bills and testimonies from people struggling with the cost-of-living crisis.
They staged a sit-down protest before leaving voluntarily, it is understood.
Greenpeace UK’s co-executive director, Will McCallum, said: “Rishi Sunak should have realised by now the huge mistake he made by blocking plans for warmer homes and failing to properly tax fossil fuel giants.
“People need permanently lower bills and a safe climate, and that means more renewable energy, more financial support, a nationwide street-by-street insulation programme, and a proper tax on the energy profiteers to pay for it.”
It comes just hours after Rishi Sunak was named as the new Tory leader, meaning he will become the UK’s next prime minister.
Activists brought energy bills and read the testimonies of people around the country who are struggling with the cost of living crisis.@RishiSunak must act to lower bills immediately.#ChaosCostsLives pic.twitter.com/mEcbK7noys
— Greenpeace UK (@GreenpeaceUK) October 24, 2022
The former chancellor will succeed Liz Truss in the top job after Penny Mordaunt backed out of the race at the eleventh hour.
Greenpeace are demanding Mr Sunak acts to “lower bills immediately” and provide support for households by insulating homes and boosting green energy supplies.
To foot the bill, the environmental group wants a “proper windfall tax on fossil fuel profits”.
North Sea producers takings are already being taxed 20% higher than usual due to the energy profits levy, announced in May.
Mr Sunak, who was Chancellor at the time, unveiled the measure in response to a spike in household energy bills.
Following a rise in oil and gas prices in the last year, largely driven by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, many North Sea companies have posted record profits in recent month.
In a series of Tweets, Greenpeace said: “Rishi Sunak could provide support for those in need, insulate homes and expand cheap renewable energy.
“To help pay for it, he could properly tax record fossil fuel profits.
“We are now on our 3rd Prime Minister this year while bills soar and the climate crisis goes unchecked.”
Earlier today climate activists from the group Last Generation threw mashed potato at Monet’s Les Meules, which was sold at auction in 2019 for $110,747,000.
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