Drax power station

Campaigners slam government legislation backing Drax subsidies

Spread the love

https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/campaigners-slam-government-legislation-backing-drax-subsidies

 Wind turbines at Loftsome Bridge, East Yorkshire, with Drax Power station in the distance

CLIMATE campaigners have condemned Labour MPs for backing legislation that extends massive subsidies to biomass giant Drax, despite the company’s high carbon emissions and forest destruction.

The law, passed in a committee vote on Monday night, allows indefinite subsidies for wood-burning power stations, undoing stricter 2019 emissions standards that would have disqualified Drax.

In 2024, Drax burned 7.3 million tonnes of wood — much from the total felling of forests in North America and Europe — and received £869m in public subsidies while making nearly £1.1bn in profit.

Of the 15 MPs present at the vote, all 11 Labour members backed the measure, while three Tories and one Lib Dem opposed it.

Campaigners accused the government of greenwashing and prioritising polluters over real climate solutions.

…

https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/campaigners-slam-government-legislation-backing-drax-subsidies

Protest placard reads Greenwash detected
Protest placard reads Greenwash detected
Continue ReadingCampaigners slam government legislation backing Drax subsidies

Chancellor Reeves’s speech disrupted over Drax subsidies

Spread the love

https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/chancellor-reeves-speech-disrupted-over-drax-subsidies

A climate activist interrupts Chancellor Rachel Reeves’s keynote speech at the Yorkshire Labour Party Conference in protest against new subsidies for Drax Power Station, March 1, 2025

CLIMATE activists disrupted Rachel Reeves’s speech to the Yorkshire Labour Party Conference on Saturday, condemning new subsidies for the tree-burning Drax power station.

As the Chancellor spoke, the two protesters stood up and condemned the environmental damage caused by Drax, which claims to be sustainable, allowing it to receive billions of pounds in green subsidies, but remains Britain’s biggest carbon emitter.

A BBC investigation previously exposed Drax for sourcing wood from rare forests, yet Labour has extended its subsidies until at least 2031 — costing taxpayers an estimated £2 billion.

Rosie, of campaigner group Axe Drax, said: “Labour has once again shown that they are on the side of the lobbyists, choosing to hand billions … to Drax, which has just announced over £1bn in earnings, while slashing winter fuel payments and presiding over yet another energy bill price hike.

“Rather than funding Drax’s shareholders profits, we desperately need investment in real green energy and climate action that will bring down emissions and bills — like home insulation.”

The disruption led to Ms Reeves pausing her speech while the protesters were ejected by security staff.

https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/chancellor-reeves-speech-disrupted-over-drax-subsidies

Keir Starmer says pensioners can freeze to death and poor children can starve and be condemned to failure and misery all their lives.
Keir Starmer says pensioners can freeze to death and poor children can starve and be condemned to failure and misery all their lives.
Orcas comment on killer apes destroying the planet by continuing to burn fossil fuels.
Orcas comment on killer apes destroying the planet by continuing to burn fossil fuels.
Continue ReadingChancellor Reeves’s speech disrupted over Drax subsidies

‘Stretched’ police force tackles peaceful climate camp and confiscates wheelchair track

Spread the love

https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/stretched-police-force-tackles-peaceful-climate-camp-and-confiscates-wheelchair-track

Wind turbines at Loftsome Bridge, East Yorkshire, with Drax Power station in the distance

ACTIVISTS slammed the police today for diverting resources away from tackling racist riots and targeting peaceful climate protesters instead.

Protesters opposing Drax power station, Britain’s largest carbon emitter, were due to set up a protest camp today.

But police pre-emptively arrested 22 activists under public order offences, including conspiracy to interfere with key national infrastructure.

Police seized tents, toilets, a track for wheelchairs and other equipment to make the peaceful protest safe and accessible, organisers Reclaim the Power said.

The Silver Commander for the police operation, Supt Ed Haywood-Noble, admitted that police resources were “stretched nationally,” but still thought it was “essential” that the operation go ahead.

He claimed: “Policing is not anti-protest, we are anti-crime, and we are here to protect the public.”

The protest organisers hit back at the force for making the “unfathomable decision” to divert resources away from communities under attack in the racist violence sweeping Britain.

They accused the police of prioritising the arrest of peaceful protesters over “locating and arresting people who are actually organising far-right riots with bricks, knives and other weapons.”

…

https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/stretched-police-force-tackles-peaceful-climate-camp-and-confiscates-wheelchair-track

I’m wondering why the police are seizing “tents, toilets, a track for wheelchairs and other equipment to make the peaceful protest safe and accessible”. Is that part of their job too?

Continue Reading‘Stretched’ police force tackles peaceful climate camp and confiscates wheelchair track