Lancaster residents were among 80 supporters of direct action group Just Stop Oil who blocked the road outside Parliament in a surprise comeback action.

They blocked Andy Burnham's first Prime Minister’s Questions, demanding that the UK government stops approving all further oil and gas developments, and signs a Fossil Fuel Treaty to stop oil and gas extraction.

Many of those arrested, including several from Lancashire, had glued themselves to the road.

Mr Burnham is due to make a decision on whether to allow more drilling for oil and gas in the North Sea.

Front right, Sam Burgess, and front second from right, Sue Houseman, both from Lancaster.

placeholder image — Front right, Sam Burgess, and front second from right, Sue Houseman, both from Lancaster.

The Just Stop Oil action comes on the same day as the UN has reported that the globe is on track for at least 2°C warming in our lifetime.

Data from the Met Office indicates that 2026 was the hottest summer in UK recorded history.

2026 was also one of the driest summers on record, devastating food harvests in the UK and around the world.

A succession of record-breaking heatwaves have caused thousands of excess deaths in the UK and have triggered devastating wildfires across the country.

National fire chiefs said the wildfire risk facing the UK ”is like nothing we have seen before.”

Sam Burgess, 26, a student from Lancaster, was one of those on the road.

She said: “More oil is a death sentence: the unprecedented heatwaves killed over 35,000 extra people in Europe this summer.

"I’m not going to sit by and wait for this figure to include someone I love. The government must start protecting its citizens and Just Stop Oil.”

The imminent 2°C minimum of warming predicted today by the UN would create global weather system collapse, triggering never-before-seen droughts, wildfires, and floods in every inhabited continent.

"Going further, The German Physics Society and the German Meteorological Society have predicted a 3°C average temperature rise, triggering mass global starvation and irreversible flooding of major cities.

A Just Stop Oil spokesperson said: “We are all Just Stop Oil. Every single person who fears deadly wildfires, devastating droughts, and spiralling food shortages is Just Stop Oil.

"The first duty of government is to keep the public safe – but by greenlighting oil and gas drilling, they endanger our survival while corporates and billionaires laugh their way to the bank”

“Every one of us feels alone and powerless in the face of this insanity but we know there is massive political and public support for our demand. So we’re inviting everyone to join us at an online call on 3rd October 2026 - because it’s when we work together that we are powerful and win. Sign up at www.juststopoil.org"

In 2024 Just Stop Oil won its original demand of ‘no new oil and gas’.

In relation to the latest action it said: “But we all know that’s not enough. We need to end all fossil fuels completely to have any hope of heading off the horror that our heating world will bring. With fascist and authoritarian forces on the rise everywhere, our democracy is under threat.”