On Saturday, 17th October Keynsham Extinction Rebellion activists, the majority of whom were constituents of North East Somerset, staged a socially distanced vigil outside Jacob Rees-Mogg’s surgery in Saltford.

The aim was to ask him to support the Climate and Ecological Emergency (CEE) Bill. One member, Rich Prior, of Keynsham, had an appointment with Mr Rees-Mogg to discuss this.

After the meeting with Jacob Rees-Mogg, Rich said: “I came away feeling that he is completely ignoring what the scientists are saying. We have been faced with the wettest, the driest and the hottest month followed by the wettest October day ever recorded, resulting in the worst wheat harvest for forty years with yields down as much as 40%. Farmers don’t know whether to grow wheat or chickpeas! He had nothing to say to our local farmers and had no proposed action to have any impact on our current trajectory.

“Instead, in an expression of blatant short-termism, it seems Jacob Rees-Mogg is more concerned about our living standards today, ignoring that some face extreme poverty with failing harvests and other consequences of climate change today, never mind tomorrow. No one is concerned about living standards when their house is under water, as is likely to happen to so many, including residents of Keynsham (again), Bristol, Cardiff etc…

“With the Government and so many authorities now having declared a Climate Emergency, Jacob Rees-Mogg still rejects our plea to support the Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill. To make your voice heard, you can contact him by emailing: jacob.rees [email protected], or making an appointment to see him at one of his surgeries: https://www.jacobreesmogg.com/surgery”

Keynsham Extinction Rebellion