Bonanza for Just Stop Oil as Labour's Dale Vince donates £170,000

2023-07-09

Funding bonanza for Just Stop Oil as Labour donor Dale Vince donates £170,000 to controversial climate group

Just Stop Oil raised almost £1million in a funding blitz triggered by Dale Vince
His move was followed by director Adam McKay- tripling the sum to £500,000
It is anticipated this money will help bankroll more Just Stop Oil protests

Just Stop Oil raised almost £1million in weeks in a funding blitz triggered by Labour donor Dale Vince.

The 61-year-old tycoon, who owns green energy firm Ecotricity, handed £170,000 to the climate group last month after promising to double all donations it received in a 48-hour period.

His move was followed by Hollywood director Adam McKay, who tripled the total sum pledged to Just Stop Oil during the following 48 hours – raising another £500,000.

It is anticipated the money will help bankroll more protests, which have included a stunt at Wimbledon, a vandalism attempt on Van Gogh’s Sunflowers and throwing orange paint at the Chelsea Flower Show.

The MoS can also reveal that former New Age traveller Mr Vince donated £75,000 to vegan activist outfit Animal Rising, whose plot to sabotage the Grand National was foiled by this newspaper’s undercover investigation. The group received £25,000 from Mr Vince in September and £50,000 in June.

Dale Vince, who owns green energy firm Ecotricity, handed £170,000 to the climate group last month

Hollywood director Adam McKay rose another £500,000 for Just Stop Oil’s campaign

Simon Milner-Edwards, 66, a retired musician from Manchester, was among the Just Stop Oil fanatics to invade Court 18 at Wimbledon on Wednesday

A spokesman for Animal Rising admitted that Mr Vince, pictured, has made ‘semi-regular large contributions’, recently donating ‘tens of thousands of pounds’ following the failed Grand National protest.

Figures suggest Mr Vince – who also owns carbon- neutral football club Forest Green Rovers – spent around £220,000 bankrolling protest groups in the month of June alone.

Meanwhile, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has come under increasing pressure to return £1.5 million given to the party by Mr Vince.

Data from the Electoral Commission shows he has handed Labour a series of sizeable donations since 2013, including £500,000 from Ecotricity last October and another £200,000 six months earlier.

Mr Vince’s firm also paid £20,000 directly to Sir Keir in 2020.

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