Just Stop Oil activist hits back at Jacob Rees-Mogg as he highlights threat of blackout - ‘We wouldn’t have to see you!’

Sean Irish, a spokesman for the group, joined Jacob Rees-Mogg on GB News to discuss the group’s recent protests, arguing they are a necessary means to achieve their aim of persuading the Government to stop licensing all new oil, gas and coal projects.

The Tory MP argued that stopping oil would result in “all lights going out” across the UK.

In a fiery retort, Irish said: “Well, we wouldn’t have to see you then, would we?”

The activist went on to tell Rees-Mogg that this is not what the group are asking for, and instead are hopeful the Government will cease all future activities in the field.

He said: “We’re asking for an end to new oil and gas licenses.”

GB News’ Rees-Mogg argued that this would mean the resource would then be imported from abroad, where the “emissions are greater”.

“We went through this with fracking”, he added. “If we used our own shale gas, we would reduce the emissions.”

Irish responded: “The UK currently has enough oil and gas domestically to last us for the next eight years.

“You should be saying ‘nationalise the energy system’, the only reason we import it is because most UK oil and gas is exported.

“If we used our own oil and gas…”

“We’re not sufficient in oil and gas, we don’t begin to be self-sufficient”, Rees-Mogg interjected.

Irish argued that the climate crisis is a “code-red” for humanity, and the UK is at immediate risk of the effects, something the GB News presenter strongly disagreed with.

Rees-Mogg stated: “The IPCC has actually noted that climate change has led to fewer events than before because more people die from cold than from heat.

“Humanity has always been adaptable. The Dutch have adapted to water levels for hundreds of years, you can adapt to water levels.

“I don’t want to join in this alarmism, I don’t want my constituents to be made cold and poor. Cheap energy has been the biggest improver of peoples’ standards of living.”

It comes as the London Marathon director has been forced to ease fears over the race potentially being disrupted by protests.

Extinction Rebellion have provided assurances over their group’s absence from the event, even vowing to protect it so the 45,000 runners can compete.

High Brasher revealed he held talks with Extinction Rebellion where they made their stance clear.

“I’ve come from a meeting with Extinction Rebellion, they will be uniquely asking all their participants to help guard the London Marathon,” he said. “To do something which is unique in their history, to protect what is one of the crown jewels of British sport.

“We have been talking to Extinction Rebellion for months. They have been very clear they are in a new phase of wanting to engage the general public in a different way.

“It was not Extinction Rebellion at the snooker, it was Just Stop Oil. I’m having conversations with Just Stop Oil, I hope in those conversations they will be giving the same assurances.

“We do mitigate for disruption and have done for years. There are numerous mitigations we put in, we do that working with the police, the Royal Parks, Westminster, the Mayor.

“I won’t say what they are. We don’t say what we are doing, but we have a raft of additional mitigation measures we are putting in to this year’s event.

“I trust Extinction Rebellion, they have been very clear of what they are doing and why. I hope Just Stop Oil and the other organisations listen to what we are saying.

“The London Marathon is unique, we run for clean air, that is so important in what we do.

“We’ve not traded anything off, all we are doing is having conversations and asking if we can work together. So far everyone has been incredibly positive in that manner.

“I will be asking them to help and protect the marathon because of the good it does in society.”