The Department for Transport was blockaded by fifty Greenpeace activists and two immobilised cars on Monday (28th) to protest the UK government's determination to stick a spanner in the upcoming EU vote on tar sands. 16 of the boilersuit-clad blockaders were arrested on the day.
The fact that it's less than a week now until the all-important vote is not the only reason the protest was well-timed. It's recently transpired that the UK government has been giving secret high-level support to the Canadian's campaign to stop the legislation.
Not only would the EU penalty on tar sand oil imports clean up European energy, it would also dissuade the greedy oil barons from expanding their environmentally devastating operations. Which any sane person would consider a good thing – but not the government. They've also installed a consulate in the middle of tar territory to protect the interests of fellow capitalists Shell and BP, or 'British commercial interests...