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MP hits out at 'spoilt middle-class climate clowns'

The image shows Mark Jenkinson MP's office with windows completely covered in
Mark Jenkinson's office windows were covered in posters on Friday morning

An MP has hit out at what he called "spoilt, middle-class climate clowns" after his office was targeted by Just Stop Oil protesters.

Mark Jenkinson's constituency office on Senhouse Street in Maryport was targeted by protesters at about 08:10 BST on Friday, who covered the windows in posters reading "Stop Tory Coal".

Two women have been arrested following the protest, which was against plans for a new coal mine in West Cumbria.

Just Stop Oil branded Mr Jenkinson's comments "adolescent".

Mr Jenkinson, the Conservative MP for Workington, called the protesters "plonkers" in a social media post criticising their actions.

Speaking to the BBC, he described the protesters as "entitled morons who think they are above the law".

He said the window cleaner, who had just left, had to return to clean-up "after these overgrown attention-seeking babies".

"Unfortunately, the film on the glass has been scratched and some of the paintwork damaged by the childish antics of these spoilt, middle-class climate clowns," he added.

Several people in high-visibility orange vests are putting up multiple
Just Stop Oil Protesters said backing plans for a coal mine were "madness"

Cumbria Police said it was investigating reports a window had been damaged by an adhesive.

A woman in her 40s and another in her 60s have been both arrested on suspicion of criminal damage.

In response Just Stop Oil said opening a new coal mine in Cumbria was "total madness".

Permission for the mine near Whitehaven was given in December 2022, making it the first new coal mine to be approved in 30 years.

Just Stop Oil questioned whether Mr Jenkinson's tirade in response to their actions was the "standard of adolescent response" constituents deserved.

A spokesman said: "Opening a new coal mine as our climate spins out of control is total madness. The British steel industry does not want this mine for coking coal. It's time ordinary people held "plonkers" like Mark Jenkinson to account, because at the moment politics is failing us."