Insulate Britain: 'We can only get headlines by being disruptive'

Insulate Britain spokesman Craig Scudder says the only way the group can get headlines is "by being disruptive".

He said the group has hundreds of people who are willing to go to prison, challenging the government "to lock us up and let's see how much support we garner."

Speaking to The Great British Breakfast on GB News, Mr Scudder said he was "deeply disturbed" that Insulate Britain protesters "who are just trying to raise the alarm" had been jailed, accusing the government of not doing enough to insulate homes in the country.

He went on to say that democracy was weighing Insulate Britain down, claiming that protesters "are just ordinary people with ordinary jobs" and they had the right and duty to rebel.

Admitting that Insulate Britain had broken a law, Mr Scudder told Paul Hawkins on GB News the law was "enacted specifically to deal with us" and told viewers that Home Secretary Priti Patel had encouraged the Highways Agency to issue the High Court injunction.

Comparing themselves to the Gilets Jaunes in France and the civil rights movement in the United States of America, Mr Scudder said Insulate Britain had seen supporter levels swell since some of their members were jailed, claiming hundreds more are set to join.

Nine activists from Insulate Britain jailed for breaching High Court injunctions have been ordered to only pay half of National Highways’ “excessive” claim for legal costs, judges have ruled.

The protesters were sentenced on Wednesday after they admitted breaching an injunction by taking part in a blockade at junction 25 of the M25 during the morning rush hour on October 8.

Ana Heyatawin, 58, and Louis McKechnie, 20, were jailed for three months, while Ben Buse, 36, Roman Paluch-Machnik, 28, Oliver Rock, 41, Emma Smart, 44, Tim Speers, 36, and James Thomas, 47, received four-month sentences.

Ben Taylor, 37, was given a longer sentence of six months “to deter (him) from committing further breaches” after his submissions to the court on Tuesday were described by Dame Victoria Sharp as “inflammatory” and a “call to arms”.

The judge, sitting with Mr Justice Chamberlain, said there was no alternative to custodial sentences given that the group’s actions were so serious and they had made it clear they intended to further flout court orders.