Activists take over lobbyist for toxic Drax and Heathrow – as Starmer ramps up climate attacks

Grassroots network Axe Drax has targeted a key lobbyist for the UK’s largest carbon polluter. This comes as Keir Starmer’s compromised corporatist Labour Party government ramps up its attacks on the climate.

Drax: still not axed

In a press release, the direct-action group said activists had “peacefully occupied the offices of controversial Drax lobbyist” 5654 & Company.

🚨BREAKING: Axe Drax Storm Offices of Key Drax Lobbyist 5654 & Company

Yesterday, the Gov announced billions in new subsidies for Drax, the UK's single biggest carbon emitter. 5654 are a key lobbyist for both DRAX and HEATHROW specialising in 'reputation management'. 🤢 pic.twitter.com/bQ9M2Vv6oo

— Axe Drax @axedrax.bsky.social (@axe_drax) February 11, 2025

It added:

Yesterday the government announced four years more subsidies for Drax, the biggest tree burning power station in the world and UK’s single biggest carbon emitter. This morning, twenty activists occupied the office building of 5654 & Company, the lobbyists of Drax and Heathrow, resulting in all staff leaving for the day.

🚨 BREAKING: Corrupt Labour Backs Drax

Labour just pledged BILLIONS more in subsidies (from your energy bills) to Drax, the dirtiest power station in the UK and world's biggest tree burning station. This is a climate DISASTER.https://t.co/SBjcwJuHTo pic.twitter.com/qS0oxatCJv

— Axe Drax @axedrax.bsky.social (@axe_drax) February 10, 2025

No better than coal or gas, but it receives lots of public money

The power station used to be Britain’s “largest coal-fired power plant”, according to Axe Drax. But from 2003, there was a shift towards running on biomass. As the group stresses:

it now burns millions of tonnes of imported wood pellets every year.

It also emphasises that the company “has already pocketed billions in government subsidies” on the basis that it’s “a green alternative to fossil fuels”. But that’s just not true, the group says. In fact:

burning biomass for power in this way creates as much carbon pollution as coal or gas

Governments have been funnelling British taxpayer money into this “polluting business”, which “is only viable with huge amounts of public subsidy”. Local communities, meanwhile, famous numerous problems:

Surveys of community members living locally to pellet production sites find that the majority of people living close to pellet mills experience dust every day and that air pollution and dust concerns prevent them from regularly doing things outdoors. The majority (86%) of surveyed households reported at least one family member diagnosed with one or more diseases associated with wood pellet mill pollution. Forest degradation also destroys natural barriers that mitigate the most severe consequences of weather events; with the loss of forests leaving communities more vulnerable to severe floods.

Nonetheless, Drax is raking it in. At our expense.

All power to the activists!

Handing more subsidies to Drax is a disaster for bill payers, forests, communities and our planet.

Subsidising tree burning in the name of climate action is ludicrous. It makes a mockery of Labour's clean energy claims and pushes us closer to climate collapse.

— Axe Drax @axedrax.bsky.social (@axe_drax) February 11, 2025

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