IT would be pretty difficult for any of us not to have noticed the results of global warming.
Around the world we have seen record- breaking temperatures, floods and wild fires that have caused devastation.
It is one of the biggest challenges we will face in our lifetime.
But what we don’t need is a group of stupid, middle-class toffs having ridiculous and harmful protests on the country’s busiest motorway, during rush hour, when we are just getting the country going again.
On Wednesday, Insulate Britain decided it wanted to raise awareness about house insulation, demanding “proper jobs” for people to insulate every home in the country to reduce carbon emissions.
So they targeted three stretches of the M25 and adjoining slip roads in a co-ordinated demonstration just after 8am.
The idiots glued themselves to the motorway — and each other.
The splinter group of Extinction Rebellion includes a retired dentist who once sewed his lips together in protest and a retired doctor whose wife (unsurprisingly) worries about his stunts.
There is also a Buddhist teacher who throws caution to the wind when it comes to his carbon footprint and nips to India on retreats, and an Army veteran who put a wreath on the Cenotaph with a note which read: “Honour Their Sacrifice, Climate Change Means War.”
The Insulate Idiots went prepared not with placards and megaphones but with a bulging M&S cool bag.
And while they relaxed and undoubtedly scoffed their vegan picnic, chaos exploded around them.
They didn’t care that they had turned rush hour into gridlock, leaving commuters at risk of losing work.
They didn’t care when one poor lorry driver, desperately trying to transport goods around the country, got out of his cab and told them: “We’ll lose our jobs.”
They didn’t care if ambulances and fire engines would be able to get to emergencies, if police were being diverted away from serious crime or if crucial medicines were getting to hospitals in time.
Dangerous and disruptive
And they clearly didn’t care that, within an hour of the protest starting, a 50-year-old woman had to be airlifted to hospital because of a four-car pile-up.
If they had, they wouldn’t have returned to motorways on Friday and put more lives at risk, this time closing roads and throwing paint.
Global warming needs addressing. But do these protesters really think the working public give two hoots about what they are highlighting after this farce?
All they did was highlight what little power the police have in dealing with situations like this.
Protesters were arrested on Monday and Wednesday, facing charges of blocking a public highway, but were released without bail conditions.
Hertfordshire Police said they couldn’t remand them in custody “with the offences they were arrested for” and they needed to gather evidence for the Crown Prosecution Service.
The policing involved on Wednesday included one officer standing with his hands in his pockets and another telling protesters: “If any of you are in any discomfort or need anything, just let me know and we will try and sort you out.” Ridiculous.
The Government is currently pushing the controversial Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill through Parliament.
Home Secretary Priti Patel says it will give police the powers to take a more proactive approach in tackling dangerous and disruptive protests.
The police need this. They need to be able to take action when lives are being endangered, instead of standing with their hands in their pockets.
These eco idiots can’t continue to get away with this.
And we cannot allow them to grind our roads to a halt just as Britain is getting moving again.
All he wanted was justice
TERRY LUBBOCK – father of Stuart, who was found dead in Michael Barrymore’s swimming pool – died this week aged 76.
For two decades, all he wanted was “justice for Stuart”.
The most recent arrest ended in the suspect being released without charge.
But Terry believed one day, even after he’d gone, someone’s guilty conscience would finally overwhelm them and they would tell the police that vital piece of information.
I hope, in tribute to him, that person does the right thing and comes forward.
The quiet life
THE Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts, who died aged 80, was so unassuming he once said: “I don’t know what showbiz is and I’ve never watched MTV.
“There are people who just play instruments, and I’m pleased to know that I’m one of them.”
I bet Charlie, who lived quietly in the West Country, would have loved the headline on the Radio Exe website, which read: “Devon drummer dies.” Perfect.
Bruvs won’t buy it
LIAM and Noel Gallagher do not agree about much.
But I am pretty sure that when it comes to helping out their dad Tommy, below, they will.
He has pleaded with them to buy their old childhood home in Manchester to save him from homelessness.
Tommy once owned that house but lost it to a property firm and he’s struggling to pay the rent.
When I was a very young reporter, I was a regular visitor to that house because Tommy wanted me to help him rekindle his relationship with the Oasis brothers.
Obviously it never happened.
Liam went on to describe his dad as a fighter who beat up his mam and his brothers.
I think there is more chance of Liam inviting Robbie Williams round for afternoon tea than there is of him buying that semi in Burnage.
Meghan’s extensions are the mane event
HAVING Harry and Meghan on the front cover of Time Magazine announcing them as one of its 100 most influential people is ridiculous enough.
But the photo that went with it is just plain scary.
They’ve been Photoshopped so much they look like waxwork models from Madame Tussauds.
And every time I look at Meghan’s hair extensions, all I can picture is the Cowardly Lion, from The Wizard Of Oz.
Gutted. It was my favourite festive film.
Begum should remain
FORMER IS bride Shamima Begum wants to come home.
More than six years ago she left the UK, aged 15, as one of three schoolgirls to go to Syria to join IS.
She later said the Manchester Arena bombing was “justified”.
This week, the newly transformed Shamima went on GMB with a low-cut top, pink lipstick and nails to appeal to British people.
She said she knew it was hard for them to forgive her and pleaded from the al-Roj prison camp in Syria: “I am so sorry if I ever offended anyone by coming here, if I ever offended anyone by the things I said.”
Offending someone is telling them they are fat as they are tucking into their tenth slice of pizza.
Running off to join IS is a bit more serious. Until she realises that, she should stay where she is.
Denise works body
YOU’VE got to wonder why ex-Emmerdale and Coronation Street star Denise Black would strip naked for a mirror selfie on Instagram.
The actress says that she has suddenly become proud of her body at the age of 63 after a lifetime of finding fault.
That’s fantastic. Oh, and she’s got a new play to promote.
Reality check
THE eldest daughter of Our Yorkshire Farm star Clive Owen has revealed how he nearly missed her entire wedding because it clashed with filming.
Instead, he walked Rosie down the aisle but left before the reception, so didn’t give a speech.
Surely there are more important things in life than reality TV.
Hailing heroes
GET your hankies ready for the The Sun’s Who Cares Wins awards, screened tonight on Channel 4 at 7.30pm.
Britain’s selfless healthcare heroes are recognised for what they did for us all during the pandemic.
The star-studded guest list included Prince William, Boris Johnson and David Beckham.
Host Davina McCall described the nominees as “amazing” and added: “It is important every year, but this year more than ever.
“We’ve all been humbled by the actions of our healthcare heroes over the past 18 months and these are the things they all just do selflessly and all the time.”
Congratulations to them all.
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