Two protesters opposing new subsidies for Drax Power Station caused chaos during Rachel Reeves keynote speech at the Yorkshire Labour Party Conference, and were forcibly ejected by security.
Rachel Reeves: propping up planet-wrecking Drax
The protestors challenged the recent decision by Labour to grant new subsidies from 2027-2031, highlighting the impact of further subsidies estimated to cost £2bn on bill payers amid ongoing energy bill hikes and widespread fuel poverty in the UK.
The protesters stood up and spoke about the impact on bill payers as well as the harm Drax is doing to forests and communities abroad and highlighted the fact that despite Drax being the UK’s single biggest carbon emitter it has received billions in green subsidies:
The disruption led to Rachel Reeves pausing her speech whilst protesters were forcibly ejected by security.
Drax Power Station, located near Selby in Yorkshire, is the world’s biggest woody biomass power station and the UK’s single largest carbon emitter. The company sources from around the world, primarily the US, Canada, and the Baltic States.
Drax’s wood pellet production sites, predominantly located in environmental justice communities, emit large amounts of pollutants, such as PM10, PM2.5 and VOCs which are linked to respiratory and pulmonary health impacts. Woody biomass is counted as carbon neutral by the UK government, allowing the company to receive renewable energy subsidies (CfDs and ROCs).
This disruption came just weeks after the government extended subsidies for Drax – contrary to advice from the Climate Change Committee – and Drax announced earnings this week of over £1 billion for 2024. The same week that a protester was found guilty of obstructing a Drax train in 2021, after the judge instructed the jury to ignore their conscience when they were struggling to decide a verdict.
Labour: in the pockets of lobbyists
Rosie from campaign group Axe Drax said:
Labour’s decision to extend subsidies for Drax is an absolute disaster for bill payers, forests, communities suffering Drax’s deadly pollution and our planet. Labour has once again shown that they are on the side of the lobbyists – choosing to hand billions in bill payer money to Drax, who have just announced over £1bn in earnings, whilst slashing winter fuel payments and presiding over yet another energy bill price hike. Rather than funding Drax’s shareholders profits, we desperately need investment in real green energy and climate action that will bring down emissions and bills – like home insulation.
Sam from the group said:
We have seen, time and time again, Labour siding with lobbyists and big polluters over the public. Their recent decision to extend Drax’s subsidies means higher energy bills, more forests destroyed, communities polluted and climate chaos. Giving billions more to Drax, the UK’s biggest carbon emitter, whilst slashing pensioners winter fuel payments and seeing millions of people in this country forced to choose between heating and eating as energy bills rise yet again is an absolute disgrace.
Featured image via the Canary
