Eco-fanatics caused outrage yesterday by defacing Stonehenge on the eve of the summer solstice.
Just Stop Oil activists used fire extinguishers to spray orange powder paint on at least three of the ancient stones before calmly sitting down cross-legged in front of the world-famous site.
Rishi Sunak and Sir Keir Starmer showed a rare united front in their condemnation of the stunt, which raised new questions about the historically intimate relationship between the Labour Party and Just Stop Oil.
The Prime Minister described it as a ‘disgraceful act of vandalism’, while the Labour leader branded the group ‘pathetic’.
Yet Labour was accused of ‘faux outrage’ after JSO boasted of planning its action ‘days after the Labour Party recommitted to halting all future oil and gas licences’ – a policy the activists claim was influenced by their extremist road-blocking tactics.
Mr Sunak rounded on major Labour backer Dale Vince, who, until last year, bankrolled the environmental protest movement.
He said: ‘This is a disgraceful act of vandalism. Just Stop Oil should be ashamed of their activists and they and anyone associated with them, including a certain Labour party donor, should issue a condemnation of this shameful act immediately.’
Energy Secretary Claire Coutinho added: ‘Labour’s faux outrage at the Stonehenge vandalism would carry a lot more weight if Just Stop Oil hadn’t also thanked Labour for enacting ‘their demands’ in their press release today.
We must not allow Britain’s energy policy to be dictated by fanatics.’
Labour has accepted more than £5 million from Mr Vince, including £1 million after the election was called.
The green energy tycoon supported JSO from its foundation and donated at least £340,000 before cutting off the cash last October.
Sir Keir has previously come under fire for refusing to return any money donated by Mr Vince and has vehemently denied claims that the Ecotricity boss wields any influence over Labour policy.
Mr Vince said: ‘Since Rishi Sunak has asked me personally to comment, I will. I don’t support what JSO did today.’
But the close relationship with Mr Vince, who Sir Keir met just days before revealing a plan to block all new oil and gas licences in the North Sea last year – coupled with the party’s previous opposition to toughening up laws around disruptive protests – has left questions over whether Labour can be trusted to crack down on such behaviour.
Sir Keir tweeted yesterday: ‘The damage done to Stonehenge is outrageous. Just Stop Oil are pathetic. Those responsible must face the full force of the law.’
Footage of the shocking incident at noon yesterday shows horrified onlookers shouting ‘no’ while trying to drag the vandals away from the 5,000-year-old site.
Police arrested two protesters – named by the group as Rajan Naidu, 73, from Birmingham, and Oxford student Niamh Lynch, 21 – on ‘suspicion of damaging the ancient monument’.
Lynch said in a statement: ‘Stonehenge at solstice is all about celebrating the natural world – but look at the state it’s in! Standing inert for generations works well for stones – not climate policy.’
Naidu, who is understood to be a Quaker, added: ‘Either we end the fossil-fuel era, or the fossil-fuel era will end us.’
Around 8,000 people gathered at Stonehenge to mark the longest day of the year in 2023, with similar numbers expected today.
English Heritage said it expected the solstice turnout to go ahead from 7pm until 8am tomorrow.
Conservative minister Simon Hoare joined the chorus of criticism last night. ‘The full weight of the law is needed. I would incarcerate them on an old oil rig.’
Fellow Tory Alex Stafford said: ‘It’s absolutely disgusting – these mindless vandals have no appreciation for our history and heritage. All they can do is destroy rather than create.’
Nick Kendrick, 55, who has been a Stonehenge tour guide for more than 30 years, said: ‘There are 79 different species of lichen which grow on those rocks.
‘These lichen are alive and help protect the stone and (they) will definitely have been harmed by this idiotic stunt.’
Just Stop Oil said: ‘Continuing to burn coal, oil and gas will result in the death of millions. We have to come together to defend humanity or we risk everything.’