Just Stop Oil branded 'pathetic' for targeting George Osborne wedding
Just Stop Oil slammed as ‘pathetic and tedious’ after eco-zealots target George Osborne’s wedding – but SNP’s Stephen Flynn claims outrage at group’s actions is ‘a bit far-fetched’
- An activist threw orange confetti over the couple as they left a Somerset church
Just Stop Oil were today condemned as ‘pathetic and quite tedious’ after the eco-zealots targeted ex-chancellor George Osborne’s wedding.
The campaign group have boasted about an activist throwing orange confetti over Mr Osborne and his new wife Thea Rogers as they left a Somerset church.
The incident provoked fresh fury following Just Stop Oil’s recent disruption of the Ashes cricket at Lord’s and their demonstrations during the tennis at Wimbledon.
Treasury minister Victoria Atkins questioned why they ‘want to stop other people having fun and enjoyment’ and said their protests ‘achieve nothing’.
Labour’s shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves said she had ‘no time for Just Stop Oil’ and labelled their actions ‘pathetic’ and ‘counter-productive’.
But Stephen Flynn, the leader of the SNP at Westminster, claimed some of the outrage at the group was ‘a little bit far-fetched’.
‘It’s not as if someone has been hurt here,’ he argued, as he responded to the disruption of Mr Osborne’s wedding.
A woman ambushed George Osborne and his long-term partner Thea Rogers outside the 14th century St Mary’s Church in the Somerset village of Bruton
Just Stop Oil retweeted a video of the incident, posting: ‘You look good in orange George Osborne — congratulations to the newlyweds.’
The incident at Mr Osborne’s wedding provoked fresh fury following Just Stop Oil’s recent disruption of the Ashes cricket at Lord’s and the tennis at Wimbledon
On Saturday, a woman ambushed the ex-chancellor, 52, and his long-term partner Ms Rogers, 40, outside the 14th century St Mary’s Church in the Somerset village of Bruton.
She then quickly fled smiling after being approached by security.
Just Stop Oil retweeted a video of the incident, posting: ‘You look good in orange George Osborne — congratulations to the newlyweds.’
Commenting on the footage of the incident, Ms Atkins said it was ‘extraordinary’ as she blasted Just Stop Oil for achieving ‘nothing other than making people feel upset’.
The Tory MP, who is Financial Secretary to the Treasury, told Sky News’ Sophy Ridge on Sunday show: ‘This is a couple clearly in love on their wedding day and somebody has apparently taken the opportunity to throw some orange dust around – I find it extraordinary.
‘With all of these sporting events that we’ve seen this year – people have been looking forward to Wimbledon, or the Ashes, or whatever the sporting event is.
‘Some people have been saving up a lot of money to pay for their tickets, or they’ve gone to the trouble of queuing at Wimbledon.
‘I don’t understand why an organisation would want to stop other people having fun and enjoyment and they achieve nothing other than making people feel upset when they’re missing out on the sporting event they’ve been looking forward to for a very long time or, indeed, their own wedding.’
Ms Reeves also hit out at the eco-campaigners, telling the programme: ‘I have got no time for Just Stop Oil.
‘To be honest, I think it is a bit pathetic and quite tedious disrupting tennis, snooker, other people’s weddings.
‘If they want to tackle climate change, engage in the policy answers, but they are not building support for their cause, they are doing the exact opposite.
‘So it is counter-productive and it is rude frankly.
‘People paid to go to Wimbledon, it may be the one time in their life that they get to Wimbledon, they don’t want to be disrupted by a load of protesters.’
Stephen Flynn, the leader of the SNP at Westminster, claimed some of the outrage at the group was ‘a little bit far-fetched’
But while Mr Flynn – who leads the SNP group in the House of Commons – admitted he ‘struggles’ with Just Stop Oil’s actions, he suggested some of the anger at them was over the top.
‘I’m a little bit troubled by some of their practices, if I’m honest,’ he said.
‘I don’t see how it carries public support. I think some of the outrage over some of the incidences is a little bit far-fetched though.
‘The confetti yesterday, was anyone hurt in that regard?
‘When you juxtapose that versus the storms in Zaragoza in Spain, I think we can see which one has caused the most damage here.’
He added: ‘It’s very unfortunate and I would probably be a little bit upset about it as well.
‘I would probably take four steps and take the confetti off me.
‘It’s not as if someone has been hurt here. Perhaps that wasn’t the biggest scandal of the day involving George Osborne.’
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