13th December 2021, 9:30am
Emma Smart ended her 26 day prison hunger strike at 8am today after receiving a letter from her MP, Sir Richard Drax. The Conservative MP for South Dorset wrote to express concern for Emma’s welfare and to request a visit, which is likely to happen within a couple of weeks.
Emma, 44, from Weymouth, Dorset is almost four weeks into a four month prison sentence for contempt of court for breaking the National Highways M25 injunction. She has been under medical supervision at HMP Bronzefield since 26th November.
Emma began her hunger strike asking the government to meet Insulate Britain’s demands and take the first meaningful step to reduce carbon emissions by up to 20% by insulating the UK’s housing stock, starting with social housing by 2025.[1]
Speaking from HMP Bronzefield Emma said:
“I have ended my hunger strike after 26 days, one day for every failed COP meeting since the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change was signed. I remain proud of my actions with Insulate Britain and will continue to do all that I can to pressure our government to live up to its duty to protect the people from climate collapse.”
“I welcome the approach from my MP, Sir Richard Drax and look forward to meeting him to discuss Insulate Britain’s demands. I hope that he is prepared to listen and also to convey to the government the absolute gravity of our situation. The next three to four years will determine the future of humanity, so this is no time for half-hearted measures. Boris needs to get on with the job.”
A second Insulate Britain supporter, Dr Ben Buse, 36, a university researcher from Bristol, also recently ended his hunger strike which began on 25th November.
Ben is due to appear at the High Court in London tomorrow along with eight new defendants from Insulate Britain on a further charge of contempt of court for breaking the government’s injunctions.
The other eight supporters summoned to the High Court tomorrow are Steve Gower 54, Ruth Jarman 58, Biff Whipster 54, Richard Ramsden 75, Stephen Pritchard 62, Dr Diana Warner 62, Paul Sheeky 46 and Reverend Sue Parfitt 79. [2][3]
ENDS
Press contact: 07737 457105
Email: insulatebritainpress@protonmail.com
High quality photos and video footage available here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Kucq-NfhnZLGJWwLx1HX03cWR7M9Y2-m
Website: https://www.insulatebritain.com/
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Twitter: https://twitter.com/insulatelove
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8N5mAeeCLbD-AFUqtPaF0g
Notes to Editors
[1] About Insulate Britain
Insulate Britain is a new campaign group that is calling on the UK government to put in place policy and funding for a national home insulation programme starting with all social housing.
We demand the Prime Minister and the government to #getonwiththejob, face up to their responsibility and lead our country through the climate crisis.
We are ordinary British citizens with simple and achievable demands to #INSULATEBRITAIN
The UK government must immediately promise to fully fund and take responsibility for the insulation of all social housing in Britain.
We demand a national home insulation strategy that gives British people the justice they deserve: a future for our loved ones, lower energy bills and safer living conditions.
We are scared: our livelihoods are at risk and the futures of our children are uncertain
The Climate Crisis is a threat to all: we demand the government to act now.
Our Demands
1. That the UK government immediately promises to fully fund and take responsibility for the insulation of all social housing in Britain by 2025;
2. That the UK government immediately promises to produce within four months a legally binding national plan to fully fund and take responsibility for the full low-energy and low-carbon whole-house retrofit , with no externalised costs, of all homes in Britain by 2030 as part of a just transition to full decarbonisation of all parts of society and the economy.
Further information about Insulate Britain and our demands here: https://www.insulatebritain.com/
[1] Technical Report on home energy efficiency here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1jt5FI-kinEXoqZtPDrCvnAVQ2EFn8Aea/view
[2] Press Meeting: Eight of the nine named defendants will be available from 08:15 to 09:00 tomorrow (14 December), ahead of the committal hearing, at Pret a Manger, opposite the Royal Courts of Justice on the Strand.
[3] We will publicise details of the courtroom and video link location for tomorrow’s committal hearing on our journalists’ WhatsApp chat later today. Please contact our press phone (07737 457105) if you would like to be added.