London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Aug 11, 2025

Protests held over climate crisis and energy rises

Protests held over climate crisis and energy rises

Protests have been taking place across the UK on a day of action highlighting issues including the increased cost of living and the climate crisis.

Enough is Enough, a campaign set up in response to the rising cost of living, held events in cities across the UK.

It comes on the day energy price rises came into effect for millions.

Members of Extinction Rebellion (XR), Just Stop Oil and the Revolutionary Communist Group (RCG) were also among those marching in London on Saturday.

Thousands attended the demonstrations, which also coincided with postal and rail strikes. People attended rallies in cities including Birmingham, Glasgow and Belfast.

Prices are twice as high as last winter, with an 80% increase in domestic gas and electricity bills - although this has been cushioned by a government cap on the cost per unit.

The government has said its energy guarantee would cost £60bn for the first six months, but industry analysts suggest the total bill could be between £130bn and £150bn.

As well as the huge rises in energy bills coming into effect, the rallies are also against the government's recent mini-budget, which included a £45bn package of tax cuts.

Those taking part include supporters of Don't Pay UK - a group encouraging householders to cancel their direct debits if the government does not offer further support to families.

One protester said: "The people want and desperately need change."

Protesters marched to Westminster in central London

Musicians were among those taking part


The climate campaigners brought Westminster Bridge to a standstill as people sat in the road, chanting slogans about the environment and playing instruments.

A woman called Meg, a member of Doctors For Extinction Rebellion, who was taking part in the march said: "This is a climate emergency and people are already dying, more are going to die from the effects of climate change."

Some carried a banner saying capitalism was "the enemy of Mother Earth", others were protesting more specifically against the government.

A man, giving his name as George, criticised the Conservatives' record on fossil fuels and their financial record.

"No government can run if it's spending more, like vastly more, than it's bringing in," he said.

In Birmingham - where the Conservative party conference begins on Sunday - people burned mock energy bills in response to the rise in the cost of gas and electricity.

The campaign wants a real pay rise, cut to energy bills and a tax on the rich

Protestors burnt mock energy bills in Birmingham


XR staged a protest in Edinburgh as people marched to the Scottish Parliament.

Retired Army officer Mike Grant, 62, said: "The climate crisis hit the UK with a vengeance this summer. The science has been clear for years but now we are seeing what that means in reality."

And architect Simon Clark, also 62, said: "The fossil fuel industry has openly enslaved our society, allowing it to create havoc in the environment whilst making record profits with complete impunity."

People gathered in Glasgow on Saturday


Protester Lily Holder, 29, who was on a London march organised by Enough is Enough said: "It's time to funnel our collective rage into something active and productive."

She was among a group supporting striking unions, like the Rail, Maritime and Transport Union (RMT), at King's Cross.

Some 50,000 workers from four unions are taking part in a strike on Saturday, resulting in the worst rail disruption of the year so far.

"This is an opportunity to express a shared sense of disillusionment in our Tory government," she said, adding: "The people want and desperately need change - and they need it soon. This winter is a frightening prospect and is going to show the true cruelty of our government."

Prime Minister Liz Truss has said she wants to "get the economy growing" and is maintaining an "iron grip on the national finances"

She has resisted calls to reverse the tax cuts announced in Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng's mini-budget or bring forward publication of the economic assessment of their plans. Mr Kwarteng says further economic plans being announced next month will include a "credible plan" to get finances back on track.

Protests have also been held about the death of Iranian woman Mahsa Amini


Protests have also been held in London following the death of Iranian woman Mahsa Amini. They included in Trafalgar Square, where people gathered to make their views heard. The 22-year-old woman died after she was detained by morality police.

Demonstrations have been taking place across the world, with those in Iran becoming increasingly violent and dozens of people being killed.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
New Road Safety Measures Proposed in the UK: Focus on Eye Tests and Stricter Drink-Driving Limits
Viktor Orbán Criticizes EU's Financial Support for Ukraine Amid Economic Concerns
South Korea's Military Shrinks by 20% Amid Declining Birthrate
US Postal Service Targets Unregulated Vape Distributors in Crackdown
Duluth International Airport Running on Tech Older Than Your Grandmother's Vinyl Player
RFK Jr. Announces HHS Investigation into Big Pharma Incentives to Doctors
Australia to Recognize the State of Palestine at UN Assembly
The Collapse of the Programmer Dream: AI Experts Now the Real High-Earners
Security flaws in a carmaker’s web portal let one hacker remotely unlock cars from anywhere
Street justice isn’t pretty but how else do you deal with this kind of insanity? Sometimes someone needs to standup and say something
Armenia and Azerbaijan sign U.S.-brokered accord at White House outlining transit link via southern Armenia
Barcelona Resolves Captaincy Issue with Marc-André ter Stegen
US Justice Department Seeks Release of Epstein and Maxwell Grand Jury Exhibits Amid Legal and Victim Challenges
Trump Urges Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan to Resign Over Alleged Chinese Business Ties
Scotland’s First Minister Meets Trump Amid Visit Highlighting Whisky Tariffs, Gaza Crisis and Heritage Links
Trump Administration Increases Reward for Arrest of Venezuelan President Maduro to Fifty Million Dollars
Armenia and Azerbaijan to Sign US-Brokered Framework Agreement for Nakhchivan Corridor
British Labour Government Utilizes Counter-Terrorism Tools for Social Media Monitoring Against Legitimate Critics
OpenAI Launches GPT‑5, Its Most Advanced AI Model Yet
Embarrassment in Britain: Homelessness Minister Evicted Tenants and Forced to Resign
President Trump nominated Stephen Miran, his top economic adviser and a critic of the Federal Reserve, to temporarily fill an open Fed seat
The AI-Powered Education Revolution: Market Potential and Transformative Impact
Chikungunya Virus Outbreak in Southern China: Over 7,000 Hospitalized
French wine makers have seen catastrophic damage to vines that were almost ready to be harvested after the worst fires in more than 70 years burned through the south of the country
US Lawmaker Probes Intel CEO’s China Ties Amid National Security Concerns
Brazilian President Lula says he’ll contact the leaders of BRICS states to propose a unified response to U.S. tariffs
Trump Open to Meeting Putin as Soon as Next Week, with Possible Trilateral Summit Including Zelenskiy
Katy Perry and Justin Trudeau spark dating rumors, joining high stakes world of celeb-politician romances
US envoy Steve Witkoff arrived in Moscow to seek a breakthrough in the Ukraine war ahead of President Trump’s peace deadline
WhatsApp Deletes 6.8 Million Scam Accounts Amid Rising Global Fraud
Nine people have been hospitalized and dozens of salmonella cases have been reported after an outbreak of infections linked to certain brands of pistachios and pistachio-containing products, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada
Karol Nawrocki Inaugurated as Poland’s President, Setting Stage for Clash with Tusk Government
Trump Signals JD Vance as ‘Most Likely’ MAGA Successor for 2028
US Charges Two Chinese Nationals for Illegal Nvidia AI Chip Exports
Texas Residents Face Water Restrictions While AI Data Centers Consume Millions of Gallons
U.S. Tariff Policy Triggers Market Volatility Amid Growing Global Trade Tensions
Tariffs, AI, and the Shifting U.S. Macro Landscape: Navigating a New Economic Regime
Representative Greene Urges H-1B Visa Cuts Amid U.S.-India Trade Tensions
U.S. House Committee Subpoenas Clintons and Senior Officials in Epstein Investigation
Sydney Sweeney Registered as Republican as Controversial American Eagle Ad Sparks Debate
Trump Accuses Major Banks of Politically Motivated Account Denials and Prepares Executive Order
TikTok Removes Huda Kattan Video Over Anti-Israel Conspiracy Claims
Trump Threatens Tariffs on India Over Russian Oil Imports
German Finance Minister Criticizes Trump’s Attacks on Institutions
U.S. Proposes Visa Bond of Up to $15,000 for Some Applicants
U.S. Farmers Increase Lobbying Amid Immigration Crackdown
Elon Musk Receives $23.7 Billion Tesla Stock Award
Texas House Paralyzed After Democrats Walk Out Over Redistricting
Mexican Cartels Complicate Sheinbaum’s U.S. Security Talks
Mark Zuckerberg Declares War on the iPhone
×