Climate change activists are ‘irresponsible crusties:’ UK PM Johnson

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Tuesday that climate change activists who blocked major roads into London were ‘irresponsible crusties’ who were hindering law-abiding people from going about their business, Reuters reports.

“I think they’re irresponsible crusties who are basically trying to stop people going about their day’s work and doing considerable damage to the economy,” Johnson told LBC radio.

Activists from groups including Insulate Britain have been staging disruptive protests in recent weeks in a bid to pressure the government into providing thermal insulation for 29 million homes in order to reduce carbon emissions from heating.

The protests have involved activists gluing themselves to the road and pouring paint across motorways.

Videos have surfaced online of exasperated motorists dragging protesters off to the side of the road in order to let an ambulance through.

Some have said the protesters have prevented patients from making their hospital appointments and commuters from reaching work in time.