Net Zero Secretary Grant Shapps’s office targeted by eco-activists with Tory MPs now put on high alert for infiltration by green campaigners
- Conservative MPs’ offices have been urged to ‘beware’ attempts at disruption
Cabinet minister Grant Shapps’s office has been targeted by eco-activists with Tory MPs now being warned to watch out for infiltration by campaigners, it has emerged.
A message circulated last week by Mr Shapps’s local Conservative Association urged other offices to ‘beware’ of attempts to disrupt their activities.
According to The Times, a member of campaign group Green New Deal Rising had targeted the local party of Mr Shapps – who is Energy Security and Net Zero Secretary – in his Welwyn Hatfield constituency.
She was described as a ‘young person who said she’d like to get involved with campaigning’ but staff reportedly became suspicious after she was persistent in asking about events.
Green New Deal Rising have copied the disruptive tactics of fellow eco-activist group Just Stop Oil and last month interrupted a speech by Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer. They last year disturbed a Tory leadership hustings event.
They have also called for supporters to join ‘sit-outs’ every Friday outside Labour Party offices until Sir Keir and shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves commit to greater climate change action.
A message circulated last week by Grant Shapps’s local Conservative Association urged other offices to ‘beware’ of attempts to disrupt their activities
Green New Deal Rising have copied the disruptive tactics of fellow eco-activist group Just Stop Oil and last month interrupted a speech by Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer.
Green New Deal Rising last year boasted of disrupting Liz Truss at a Tory leadership hustings event in Eastbourne
One of Green New Deal Rising’s 12 principles, as set out on the group’s website, is to ‘break the rules to disrupt the political system’
The warning issued by Mr Shapps’ local party in Welwyn Hatfield said of the claimed Green New Deal Rising member: ‘Presumably she was hoping to disrupt our activities in some way.
‘We also received a similar call from someone else who also appears to be an environmental activist, probably with the same intention.
‘They may have targeted our office specifically because of Grant’s energy security role, but it’s worth you all being aware that they’re employing these tactics, in case they try it on with any of you.
‘Beware of anyone getting in touch out of the blue, and also do some social media digging into any new helpers.’
One of Green New Deal Rising’s 12 principles, as set out on the group’s website, is to ‘break the rules to disrupt the political system’.
The group also claim to practice ‘strategic non-violence’ and to ‘go big and do what it takes to win’.
Green New Deal Rising last year boasted of disrupting Liz Truss at a Tory leadership hustings event in Eastbourne.
The Times reported the group had also tried to gain access to the leadership contest’s final hustings event at Wembley.
A Tory source told the newspaper that one activist had claimed to have travelled from their ‘father’s farm in Surrey’ for the event, and another gave a fake name but then handed over their passport as identification before hurriedly asking for it back ‘presumably because it had their actual name on it’.
‘It was less Mission: Impossible and more Pink Panther,’ the source said.
Hannah Martin, from the group, said: ‘Green New Deal Rising uses a range of methods to hold politicians to account for their failure to tackle the climate and economic crisis we are facing.
‘That’s why we have been speaking to politicians and taking action up and down the country to highlight the voices of young people and call for a green new deal.
‘After a summer of climate chaos, we desperately need a government that is committed to take the action required and to do it in a way that tackles the cost of living crisis.
‘That means investing in renewable power to ensure lower bills for everybody, building cheap and accessible public transport for all and creating millions of good green jobs in the low carbon economy.
‘We will continue to campaign to make young people’s voices heard and to push all political parties to commit to a green new deal.’
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