Cumbrians Among Just Stop Oil Protesters At Parliament As Group Resumes Demonstrations
Two women from Kendal were among Just Stop Oil protesters who gathered outside Parliament as the environmental group returned to the streets with a demonstration targeting the Government's fossil fuel policies.
Around 80 people gathered outside Parliament on Wednesday, September 2, with the demonstration timed to coincide with Prime Minister Andy Burnham's first Prime Minister's Questions session since taking office. Protesters blocked roads in the Westminster area during the action.
Catherine Rennie Nash, aged 72, and Margaret Reid, both from Kendal, were identified among those taking part in the demonstration. Their involvement brought a direct Cumbrian connection to the renewed protest action in central London.
Protesters were reported to have glued themselves to the road outside Parliament as part of the action. The Metropolitan Police subsequently began removing people from the road as officers worked to deal with the disruption caused by the demonstration.
The protest marked the return of Just Stop Oil street demonstrations after the group last staged a protest in April 2025. The organisation had previously announced that it was ending its campaign of disruptive street actions, but has now said it is returning to direct action.
Just Stop Oil said its renewed campaign is focused on opposing further oil and gas development in the United Kingdom. The group is demanding that the Government stops approving all further oil and gas developments and signs a Fossil Fuel Treaty aimed at ending oil and gas extraction.
The demonstration took place against the backdrop of the new Prime Minister's first appearance at Prime Minister's Questions. Andy Burnham has indicated that he is considering the role of oil and gas in Britain's energy transition, a position that has become a major point of disagreement with environmental campaigners.
The timing of the protest therefore placed the campaign directly outside Parliament while MPs were gathering for one of the week's most prominent parliamentary events. Protesters used the opportunity to draw attention to their opposition to continued fossil fuel development and the climate consequences they associate with it.
The action also caused disruption to traffic in the Westminster area. Around 30 activists were reported to have sat or lain in the road during the demonstration, with police deploying specialist officers and working with Transport for London to manage the impact.
The return to street demonstrations represents a change from the position announced by Just Stop Oil after its previous campaign. The group had said its earlier street campaign had achieved its aims, but it has now returned to public demonstrations in response to what it considers renewed threats from oil and gas development.
The two Kendal women have previously been associated with environmental protest activity. Catherine Rennie Nash and Margaret Reid were among Cumbrian Just Stop Oil supporters involved in earlier demonstrations connected with opposition to fossil fuel projects.
Their previous activism included involvement in a 2024 action at the Maryport office of former Workington MP Mark Jenkinson. The women were later among three protesters cleared of criminal damage charges relating to posters placed on the office windows.
The latest demonstration comes as climate campaigners continue to challenge Government decisions and proposals relating to Britain's future energy mix. Just Stop Oil's current demands centre on preventing additional oil and gas development and securing an international agreement to phase out extraction.
Police action continued as officers began removing protesters from the road outside Parliament. The demonstration highlighted the continuing tension between campaigners seeking highly visible forms of civil resistance and authorities responsible for maintaining public access and traffic movement around Parliament.
The presence of the two Kendal residents means the latest London protest has again drawn participants from Cumbria into a national campaign over the future of fossil fuels. Their involvement comes as Just Stop Oil seeks to re-establish its presence on the streets after more than a year away from disruptive demonstrations.
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