A senior figure from Insulate Britain, the climate activist group responsible for blocking road junctions on London’s M25 motorway, hasn’t insulated his own home. The eyebrow-raising revelation came to light live on morning TV.
Climate activist Liam Norton, a senior member of the Insulate Britain group which has been blocking roads as part of their protest for the last two weeks, appeared on Good Morning Britain on Wednesday. Amid heated debate, journalist Dawn Neesom called Norton out for not having insulated his own home, claiming he was a “hypocrite” for lecturing others.
The Insulate Britain group is calling on the government to insulate all leaky homes in the country by 2025, beginning with social housing. They’re also calling for a state-funded programme for low-energy and low-carbon retrofitting of homes by 2030.
When host Susanna Reid questioned Norton, asking whether it was true that his own home was not insulated, the climate activist twice tried to avoid the question, claiming it wasn’t important if his home wasn’t insulated, because millions of others around the country are the same.
“You’re ready to risk your life for Insulate Britain, but you’re not going to insulate your own home?” Reid pressed, as Norton nodded along. He then claimed it was a “shame that the discussion was being debased” in such a way.
Norton added that insulation costs tens of thousands of pounds, asking the hosts if they are aware of that. Asked whether he could afford insulation, he said the point was that millions of other Britons could not.
Things got even more heated when Norton proceeded to compare the tireless work of Insulate Britain protesters to former Prime Minister Winston Churchill and his battle against the Nazis. The remark didn’t go down well and Norton eventually stormed off the set.
“That is the level of intellectual debate that they are able to bring to the table… what do we make of that intellectual vapidity?” co-host Richard Madeley asked the panel as Norton disappeared through the studio doors.
Norton’s appearance caused a stir off the ITV set, with criticism raining down on the activist. GB News presenter Tom Harwood blasted him live on air, asking: “If these morons can’t even insulate their own homes we have the right to ask what is their actual motivation?”
Others on social media were equally annoyed, with some pointing out that the group’s blocking of the M25 had led a woman who suffered a stroke to be partially paralysed since she could not reach hospital quickly enough.
Some praised the hosts for calling out Norton and said he was the “least suitable” spokesperson the group could have sent on.
It wasn’t all criticism, however. One person felt the points raised by Norton were “absolutely correct,” striking a more supportive tone, but saying that the way he was going about it was “all wrong.”
Another said that Norton was right and it was time for others to “wake up.”
Some also slammed the hosts for taking a “bullying” and mocking tone.
Aside from online reaction, the climate activist group certainly hasn’t made too many friends among motorists over the last two weeks. The protesters have repeatedly seated themselves on major motorway junctions. Police, across several counties, have made a number of arrests.
On Wednesday, the UK Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said that National Highways had secured an injunction against the protesters and slammed them for “reckless” behaviour that “puts lives at risk.”
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