‘Sunbathers’ protest new oil outside Parliament amidst heatwave

Campaigners from Fossil Free London protested new oil and gas in Parliament Square on 7 July as the third heatwave of the summer hits London.

They wore matching red swimming costumes and lay on white towels, imitating popular media images of beachgoers in hot weather. Each sunbather waved a ‘Stop Rosebank’ fan and behind them a large banner read ‘No New Oil & Gas’.

The protest comes as the UK just experienced its hottest June ever. And uncertainty lingers over whether Andy Burnham will approve the Rosebank and Jackdaw North Sea oil fields once he becomes prime minister.

Heatwave after heatwave

Fresh amber heat-health alerts are in place across many parts of the country for this week’s heatwave too. Scientists stress that this extreme heat would not be possible without the climate crisis. And this is overwhelmingly driven by burning fossil fuels.

Burnham didn’t explicitly mention North Sea drilling in his speech setting out his vision for the country. But he has previously declared himself ‘open minded’ on the issue. He also appointed James Purnell, a former advisor for BP, as his Chief of Staff.

As speculation rises, scores of Labour MPs, trade unions and Green Party leader Zack Polanski have called for him to rule out new North Sea drilling.

Rishi Sunak’s Conservative government originally approved the Rosebank oil field in 2023. But the Scottish courts overturned this decision in January 2025. The Labour government will now need to remake this decision, taking into account the project’s full climate impacts.

Burning Rosebank’s total estimated oil and gas reserves would emit more carbon dioxide than the world’s 28 lowest-income countries combined release annually.

Robin Wells from Fossil Free London said:

People are sweating in this heat, and they’re nervous about what it means for their lives. Heat stress? It’s fossil fuels.

Any politician who approves oil and gas in the midst of this climate crisis is signing on the dotted line for murder on a mass scale. All to pay big cheques to the Big Oil industry. Our message to our incoming prime minister on fossil fuels is this: Andy, don’t burn’em! Stop Rosebank.

Featured image via Fossil Free London