Rishi Sunak admits oil-funded think tank helped write anti-protest laws
The PM confirmed Policy Exchange helped draft laws targeting climate activists, as first revealed by openDemocracy
Anita Mureithi
openDemocracy
30 June 2023
Just Stop Oil climate activists face police officers as they march in London on June 2, 2023 as part of their campaign calling on the UK government to end approval for exploring, developing and producing fossil fuels |
HENRY NICHOLLS/AFP via Getty Images
Rishi Sunak has admitted a right-wing think tank that received funding from US oil giant ExxonMobil helped the government write its draconian anti-protest laws.
It serves as confirmation by the prime minister of openDemocracy’s revelations that last year’s controversial policing bill, which became the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts (PCSC) Act, may have originated in a briefing from Policy Exchange.
While Policy Exchange keeps its donors a secret, our investigation found ExxonMobil Corporation donated $30,000 to its American fundraising arm in 2017.
Two years later, a report by the influential think tank titled ‘Extremism Rebellion’ said the government should implement new laws to target environmental protest group Extinction Rebellion (XR).
In a speech earlier this week at Policy Exchange’s summer party, Sunak confirmed Policy Exchange’s brief “helped us draft” the government’s crackdown on protests, according to Politico.
The government has been heavily criticised by civil rights groups over the act. When the law was first introduced then-home secretary Priti Patel was open in saying it was intended to target XR.
Sections of the bill appeared to be directly inspired by the think tank’s report, which called for laws relating to public protest to be “urgently reformed in order to strengthen the ability of police to place restrictions on planned protest and deal more effectively with mass law-breaking tactics”.
The legislation gave police new powers to restrict the duration and noise level of static protests, or shut them down if they cause a “serious disruption”. It also introduced a new public nuisance offence that could see people jailed for a maximum of ten years for obstructing the public.
Suella Braverman has continued to pursue this crackdown on civil disobedience as home secretary by pushing through changes to the Public Order Act.
Police have also been granted more powers to stop and search anyone they suspect of planning to cause disruption. The government has been clear that the new laws have been designed to tackle peaceful protest methods used by groups such as Insulate Britain, Just Stop Oil and XR.
We will continue to resist. The stakes have never been higher
A Just Stop Oil spokesperson vowed the group would continue to resist the government’s harsh laws, telling openDemocracy: "We see you Rishi Sunak. Now openly boasting that the most draconian set of anti-protest laws enacted in a liberal democracy anywhere were written with the aid of dirty oil company money.
“We will continue to resist. The stakes have never been higher."
Another report published by Policy Exchange in November said it is “imperative” that “protestors who repeatedly obstruct the highways and/or damage property are swiftly arrested, convicted and punished.” It also called for harsher sentences to be imposed on repeat offenders.
Over 2,000 Just Stop Oil activists have been arrested and 138 people thrown in prison since the implementation of the PCSC Act in April 2022. Among them are Morgan Trowland, 40, and Marcus Decker, 34 who were each handed sentences of more than two and a half years for scaling the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge – the longest sentences for peaceful climate protest in British history.
Meanwhile, it was reported that a total of 293 charges were brought against 117 of Insulate Britain’s supporters, consisting of causing a public nuisance, wilful obstruction of the highway and criminal damage. According to Insulate Britain the CPS has summoned a total of 56 activists for at least 201 charges of public nuisance.
An Insulate Britain supporter told openDemocracy that Sunak’s admission comes as no surprise. Sally Davidson, 35, a primary school teacher from south London said: “Our politicians and so-called leaders are not on our side.
“This week people marching from Just Stop Oil have had milk thrown at them. People are right to be angry but the anger should be directed at politicians and the think tanks who are actively destroying our communities, livelihoods and country by pushing for more fossil fuel projects in the full knowledge that we have already surpassed the ‘safe’ level of global warming.”
Davidson warned that civil resistance is “our only legitimate means to achieve the changes needed within the time frame we have”, and added: “Whilst governmental attempts to scapegoat the people fighting for their lives in the face of corporate greed and interest are nothing new, the scale of death and horror people around the world face right now is unprecedented.”
30 June 2023
Just Stop Oil climate activists face police officers as they march in London on June 2, 2023 as part of their campaign calling on the UK government to end approval for exploring, developing and producing fossil fuels |
HENRY NICHOLLS/AFP via Getty Images
Rishi Sunak has admitted a right-wing think tank that received funding from US oil giant ExxonMobil helped the government write its draconian anti-protest laws.
It serves as confirmation by the prime minister of openDemocracy’s revelations that last year’s controversial policing bill, which became the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts (PCSC) Act, may have originated in a briefing from Policy Exchange.
While Policy Exchange keeps its donors a secret, our investigation found ExxonMobil Corporation donated $30,000 to its American fundraising arm in 2017.
Two years later, a report by the influential think tank titled ‘Extremism Rebellion’ said the government should implement new laws to target environmental protest group Extinction Rebellion (XR).
In a speech earlier this week at Policy Exchange’s summer party, Sunak confirmed Policy Exchange’s brief “helped us draft” the government’s crackdown on protests, according to Politico.
The government has been heavily criticised by civil rights groups over the act. When the law was first introduced then-home secretary Priti Patel was open in saying it was intended to target XR.
Sections of the bill appeared to be directly inspired by the think tank’s report, which called for laws relating to public protest to be “urgently reformed in order to strengthen the ability of police to place restrictions on planned protest and deal more effectively with mass law-breaking tactics”.
The legislation gave police new powers to restrict the duration and noise level of static protests, or shut them down if they cause a “serious disruption”. It also introduced a new public nuisance offence that could see people jailed for a maximum of ten years for obstructing the public.
Suella Braverman has continued to pursue this crackdown on civil disobedience as home secretary by pushing through changes to the Public Order Act.
Police have also been granted more powers to stop and search anyone they suspect of planning to cause disruption. The government has been clear that the new laws have been designed to tackle peaceful protest methods used by groups such as Insulate Britain, Just Stop Oil and XR.
We will continue to resist. The stakes have never been higher
A Just Stop Oil spokesperson vowed the group would continue to resist the government’s harsh laws, telling openDemocracy: "We see you Rishi Sunak. Now openly boasting that the most draconian set of anti-protest laws enacted in a liberal democracy anywhere were written with the aid of dirty oil company money.
“We will continue to resist. The stakes have never been higher."
Another report published by Policy Exchange in November said it is “imperative” that “protestors who repeatedly obstruct the highways and/or damage property are swiftly arrested, convicted and punished.” It also called for harsher sentences to be imposed on repeat offenders.
Over 2,000 Just Stop Oil activists have been arrested and 138 people thrown in prison since the implementation of the PCSC Act in April 2022. Among them are Morgan Trowland, 40, and Marcus Decker, 34 who were each handed sentences of more than two and a half years for scaling the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge – the longest sentences for peaceful climate protest in British history.
Meanwhile, it was reported that a total of 293 charges were brought against 117 of Insulate Britain’s supporters, consisting of causing a public nuisance, wilful obstruction of the highway and criminal damage. According to Insulate Britain the CPS has summoned a total of 56 activists for at least 201 charges of public nuisance.
An Insulate Britain supporter told openDemocracy that Sunak’s admission comes as no surprise. Sally Davidson, 35, a primary school teacher from south London said: “Our politicians and so-called leaders are not on our side.
“This week people marching from Just Stop Oil have had milk thrown at them. People are right to be angry but the anger should be directed at politicians and the think tanks who are actively destroying our communities, livelihoods and country by pushing for more fossil fuel projects in the full knowledge that we have already surpassed the ‘safe’ level of global warming.”
Davidson warned that civil resistance is “our only legitimate means to achieve the changes needed within the time frame we have”, and added: “Whilst governmental attempts to scapegoat the people fighting for their lives in the face of corporate greed and interest are nothing new, the scale of death and horror people around the world face right now is unprecedented.”
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