Prominent Labour supporter Dale Vince withdraws financial backing from Just Stop Oil, acknowledging ineffectiveness of protests.
In a surprising move, Dale Vince, a prominent Labour donor and businessman, has announced the cessation of his financial support for the Just Stop Oil campaign. Vince has candidly admitted that further protests by the group would be futile, describing them as “pointless” and likely to bolster the Conservative Party’s narrative.
He expressed his disillusionment with the ongoing disruption, stating that the government’s stance on oil and gas drilling in the North Sea is unlikely to change. Vince bluntly remarked, “In order to ‘just stop oil,’ first we need to just stop the Tories.”
Instead of continuing to support Just Stop Oil, Dale Vince intends to redirect his resources towards bolstering an anti-Tory initiative. He plans to use his financial resources to back “Just Vote,” a new campaign aimed at motivating young people to participate in elections. Vince’s goal is to contribute to the formation of a green government, which he believes will better address the nation’s challenges.
Vince articulated his vision, stating, “It’s a fact of our electoral system that only one of two parties can form the next government; we want to bring a focus to this reality and to the opportunity that we have – to elect a green government, one that will embrace the opportunities we face, rather than make an enemy of them – and use them to tackle the long list of issues we face as a country.”
Dale Vince’s decision follows Labour’s promise to prohibit new drilling licenses in the North Sea, a commitment that aligns with his environmental interests. His company, Ecotricity, has generously contributed over £1.4 million to the Labour Party since 2014, and he has supported Just Stop Oil with donations exceeding £340,000.
Despite his prior endorsement of the group’s unconventional protest methods, including recent disruptions during a performance of Les Misérables, Vince now believes that further protests are unlikely to deter the government from its drilling plans. He expressed admiration for the activists’ dedication but emphasised that ongoing disruptions could be counterproductive, feeding into the government’s “culture war.”
Dale Vince also pointed out that recent policy reversals by the government, such as exemptions and delays in key green policies, have contributed to the urgency of his decision to shift his support towards electoral engagement. Story source
