THE DISPATCH
CLIMATE CHANGE
Man ends 37-day hunger strike outside Parliament after MPs agree to climate change briefing
“Indescribable” was Angus Rose’s verdict on the peanut butter he ate after ending his 37-day hunger strike outside the Houses of Parliament.
The activist ended his protest after receiving a letter from the All Party Parliamentary Group on Climate Change, agreeing to have Sir Patrick Vallance brief MPs on the climate crisis.
Rose said, “This is a small but vital step in helping to ensure that our nephews, nieces, children and grandchildren have a better chance at a liveable future.
“With improved understanding, our decision makers will be more likely to adopt policies and take actions that are in line with the science.
“My hope is that if MPs understand the science, they will act with the required urgency.”
Boris Johnson had spoken of a “road to Damascus” moment after being briefed on climate change soon after becoming prime minister, and Rose was on strike to demand a similar briefing to be given to all MPs, preferably by Vallance.
Rose lost nearly 17kg during his strike, sitting by the entrance to Parliament, often under an umbrella.
Speaking to The Big Issue on the ninth day of his strike, Rose had said, “I am prepared to die.”
A group of 79 leading scientists, including former government chief scientific adviser Sir David King, had written a letter supporting Rose’s demands during his strike.
In it, they said, “Briefing on the climate and ecological crises would help our leaders to enact the right policies to decarbonise our society at the required pace, while also preserving biodiversity”.
