Jump directly to the content

LABOUR’S £28 billion climate spending spree is being partly driven by Extinction Rebellion’s former legal brain, The Sun can reveal.

Lefty human rights lawyer Tobias Garnett was hired by Labour after being the face of the eco-yobs’ legal action against the police.

Labour energy and climate adviser Tobias Garnett previously worked as a coordinator of Extinction Rebellion's legal strategy team
1
Labour energy and climate adviser Tobias Garnett previously worked as a coordinator of Extinction Rebellion's legal strategy team

Now working directly with Shadow Climate Change Minister Ed Miliband, Mr Garnett previously publicly backed XR’s “destruction” tactics as “coordinator of Extinction Rebellion’s legal strategy team”.

In 2020 he told the London Review of Books: "I guess part of the point is to connect distant and abstract destruction to tangible things that you care about."

Just weeks before being hired by Labour, Mr Garnett defended XR shutting down areas around Parliament, the Bank of England and London City Airport.

After winning a high court legal challenge to ensure eco-yobs could carry-out disruptive protests, Mr Garnett boasted: “We’re delighted with today’s result.

READ MORE POLITICS

“I’d like to thank… the brave activists who continue to take to the streets in the belief that we can control our future and that it’s not too late.

“Join us.”

Alongside working for XR, Mr Garnett was a human rights solicitor who fought successfully for the families of British soldiers killed in Iraq and journalists imprisoned overseas.

Deputy Tory Chairman Lee Anderson told The Sun: "There should be no doubt whose tune Labour marches to. Their entire energy policy is being dictated by Extinction Rebellion and Just Stop Oil loonies.

"As these eco-zealots line Starmer's pockets with their donations and whisper in his ear, Labour are plotting to smash up British industry, kill thousands of jobs and leave us at the mercy of foreign powers."

Mr Anderson added: "Labour’s policy is a surrender plan and these fanatics won't rest until our energy security is completely dismantled.”

It comes as Sir Keir Starmer was branded "naive" and "wrong"; over his North Sea oil ban by one of his top union backers.

The GMB savaged the Labour leader's policy of ending offshore drilling - amid a row over donations to Labour from Just Stop Oil bankroller Dale Vince.

GMB union general secretary Gary Smith said Labour's policies "are going to create a cliff edge with oil and gas extraction from the North Sea".

He called on the party to stop putting what was "popular" ahead of what was right for the country and said that workers in the industry were "very worried" about the plans.

Labour has been approached for comment.

Topics