Philip Hammond: Greenpeace climate protesters disrupt chancellor's Mansion House speech

‘Our climate is breaking down. Business as usual is over,’ says eco-campaign group

Protesters have disrupted Philip Hammond‘s Mansion House speech.

Women wearing red dresses and sashes declaring a “climate emergency” shouted out during the address in a protest against climate change.

Greenpeace’s UK arm shared an image from the demonstration and tweeted: “Our climate is breaking down. Business as usual is over.”

The demonstrators were bustled out of the hall. They were among 40 volunteers who “gatecrashed” the dinner, Greenpeace claimed.

Campaigner Areeba Hamid said: “The real bottom line, the priority that needs to come before all others, is not profit, revenue or growth, but survival.

“That needs to be recognised in every boardroom and on every balance sheet, starting with the chancellor’s.”

She added: “The people in this room have been funding climate change, and we’re not giving the banks and hedge funds a pass for their unethical investment decisions anymore.

“The Treasury is the government’s banker. It plays the same role propping up vested interests and blocking progress on climate change.”

When he regained his position in front of the microphone, Mr Hammond noted the government’s plan for huge reductions in carbon emissions in the coming decades.

Speaking at the annual dinner with top City of London figures, the chancellor warned against a no-deal Brexit and said he could not imagine a Tory government “actively pursuing” that policy.

He also urged contenders to be the new prime minister – now down to Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt – to have a “plan B” for Brexit if their preferred courses of action cannot be delivered.