Just Stop Oil donor ‘no longer funding’ environmental activist group and says protests ‘just feed new Tory culture war’
6 October 2023, 17:27 | Updated: 6 October 2023, 18:48
A Just Stop Oil donor has announced that he will no longer be funding the group as "further protests" are "pointless".
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Dale Vince OBE said that the only way to stop drilling in the North Sea is "by choosing a new government at the coming election".
Instead of financially supporting Just Stop Oil, Mr Vince said on X that he will now focus his “time, effort and funding to his new campaign: @JustVote24", which centres on the youth electorate.
Fairly big news breaking right now is an announcement from me.
— Dale Vince (@DaleVince) October 6, 2023
I’ll no longer be funding Just Stop Oil as I feel that more protest and disruption will just feed the new Tory culture war narrative; it can’t actually stop oil.
I believe that the only way to stop drilling in the…
In the post, he linked a full statement explaining that whilst he still supports Just Stop Oil, he now has to focus on other environmental tactics.
He said: "I firmly believe there should be no new drilling in the North Sea for oil and gas. The international political and scientific consensus is clear: we can’t afford to produce more fossil fuels if we are to avoid the worst of the climate crisis.
“I also believe in the right to protest, and in the power of protest to bring change. That’s why I funded Just Stop Oil from its inception through this past summer of intensive action and joined them on a protest myself.
"I applaud the conviction and the commitment of these activists and their bravery in the face of an increasingly hostile state."
The full statement explains that the current government has made “it clear that no amount of protesting will prevent them from drilling in the North Sea”, making further protests and its disruption "pointless".
The statement went on to deeply criticise Rishi Sunak’s government’s 'demonetisation' of 'net zero' and the "green economy".
Mr Vince then wrote about how the green economy can solve the climate and cost-of-living crisis as they are "inextricably linked".
Iain Dale interviews Dale Vince
“The green economy solves them both.
“Just one example is that we get twice the return, in terms of new jobs and GDP growth, from investing in green energy than we do from fossil fuels.
“Green energy is the only way we can bring energy bills down and keep them there”, he added
The JustVote24 campaign has been created to encourage young voters to exercise their electoral right whilst also encouraging the election of a "green government", the statement read.
Just Stop Oil have protested in a variety of measures, from glueing their hands to roads, dousing famous paintings with orange paint, and orchestrating a slow march in the middle of busy roads.
The group disrupted a Les Miserables performance in the West End on Wednesday, where five people have now been charged.
