Extinction Rebellion will not be barred from consulting on Portsmouth issues

Councillors were reminded to act 'with decorum' following a heated debate in which they voted against calls to prevent local Extinction Rebellion (XR) groups being consulted on issues.

Conservative councillor Terry Norton presented the motion claiming the actions of the national XR group at the cenotaph in London on Armistice Day last month 'were profoundly disrespectful.'

Speaking at the meeting Cllr Norton said: 'The cenotaph is a memorial for those who have fought and died to preserve our freedoms. The attempt to hijack this by any organisation recognised as an extremist group is totally unacceptable.'

He added that the group should not be involved in consultation with the council over transport issues, when taxi drivers were not asked about road closures in the city this summer.

Cllr Rob New agreed. He said: 'The point I really wanted to touch on was the nation was appalled and shocked - even left wing commentators. When we have people like Keir Starmer condemning them on the news bulletins on the day those words speak for themselves.'

However, other councillors believed the link between the group and Remembrance Day was 'inappropriate.'

Council leader, Cllr Gerald Vernon-Jackson, said: 'If people don't like Extinction Rebellion they should come back here with a motion saying we don't like Extinction Rebellion, don't talk to them. But trying to attach it to something linked to world wars is not right.'

Labour Cllr Judith Smyth added: 'Our armed forced fought for the freedoms we have today and climate change is a threat to that.'

In response to the motion Selma Heimedinger, from Southsea XR, said: 'The accusations that Extinction Rebellion ”defaced the cenotaph”, are on the ”prevent list of extremists ideologies” and should not be recognised as a consultee on council projects in the future grossly misrepresents our movement and is an erosion of democracy.

'To exclude us from council projects would be to exclude the truth. Such actions as are proposed here are corrosive to democracy and anti-democratic.'

Councillors voted in favour of an amendment from Cllr Vernon-Jackson that recognised the importance of the remembrance of fallen heroes but removed the link to XR.

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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