Enviro-maniacs

protests on the presumption that they will be peaceful.

They are told they must minimise disruption and harm for those not involved in the demonstration, but they also must protect the rights of peaceful activists. Police can only issue a condition restricting a protest when it is necessary to stop serious disruption or damage. Yesterday protesters were arrested for highway obstruction and causing public nuisance.

The Prime Minister’s spokesman said: ‘People have the right to protest freely but clearly they shouldn’t be doing anything which is either illegal or endangers the public.’

It emerged last night that Roger Hallam, who helped to found Extinction Rebellion but split from the group last year to become a key figure in Insulate Britain, owns a farmhouse described as ‘poorly insulated’ in an official energy performance certificate.

His 2,000 sq ft farmhouse in Carmarthen, South Wales, gets the lowest possible energy rating on the certificate.

It is unclear if Mr Hallam has taken steps to improve the rating since it was issued six years ago.

Asked about the certificate last night, a spokesman for the group said: ‘This is the point – UK homes are the leakiest in Europe, with many millions of families being unable to afford the advice and help needed to insulate the building they live in.’

DO the nincompoops of Insulate Britain really think blockading the M25 will convert ordinary people to their green cause?

Quite the reverse. Not only did their juvenile stunt backfire by causing pollutionbelching traffic jams, it infuriated those trying to get to work or school and impeded emergency vehicles. You could barely dream up tactics more likely to harden minds against environmentalism.

Disgracefully, the police let these middleclass agitators bring the motorway to a standstill for four hours.

As long as the authorities – including the courts – indulge, not punish, law-breaking eco-warriors, they will continue their destructive vandalism.