Due to the short notice, the Central SBW Group and many other loyal supporters were all either away or already committed elsewhere. Nevertheless around 25 people were there, most travelling by a bus laid on at the last minute for them. Armed with placards and banners featuring our now familiar logo they joined supporters from other campaigns including Sunnica (Cambridge), Mallard’s Pass (Lincolnshire) and Lime Down (Wiltshire). Steve Jenkins from Long Hanborough was our spokesperson and he gave interviews to several national newspapers and television. His interview with Miranda Norris of Oxford Times was pre-recorded and appeared
on the front page of the Oxford Times on the day of the rally.
Several MPs from other affected constituencies joined protesters in Parliament Square including James Grey, MP for North Wiltshire seen above with Andrew Bowie, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero) who also spoke came over and spoke to campaigners including our SBW group and said he supported them.
He called for more protections to stop large-scale solar farms being built in the countryside.
An article in the Telegraph by Emma Gatten, later that day has the headline:
“Renewable energy minister backs anti-solar protests”
Andrew Bowie tells campaign rally outside Parliament that their concerns are ‘completely legitimate and that the Government was actively looking into what they can do to protect valuable farmland from being used for large-scale solar farms.
Further Observations from SBW supporters there include:
“I was really pleased to see such a variety of folks supporting the cause. Different post codes, age groups and backgrounds focused on a common goal.” and
“I spoke to a Lincoln man and a Sunnica/Cambridgeshire lady. My feeling was that they feel exactly as we do about the issue.. The Cambridgeshire people were particularly jaded as they have been campaigning for 5 years.“
The rally was a great success for all the campaign groups and many useful connections were made. It really feels that the momentum against these mega solar projects is growing We hope that next time there is an event like this, we will be able to give you more notice, and be able to get a really big group showing the strength of feeling among our wonderful SBW supporters,
Meanwhile, huge thanks again to those who took the SBW message to Westminster.