Extinction Rebellion disrupted a speech by the Minister for Local Government, Rishi Sunak, at the Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association's (PLSA) Local Authority Conference.

With cries of “there are no pensions on a dead planet”, members of the group unfurled a banner as Sunak engaged with the protesters saying: “I absolutely appreciate that climate change is an incredibly important thing, but you are disrupting a conference.”

PLSA chair, Richard Butcher, handled the situation with calm, saying to the protesters: “You have a point of view and we would love to hear your point of view. You are very welcome to sit down and ask us some questions later on, amongst some of the others. We are addressing climate change during the course of this conference.”

Extinction Rebellion members then sat patiently and listened to the remainder of the presentation, waiting for the opportunity to press the MP on climate change issues in relation to local authority pension scheme investments.

During questions, one of the group's members asked: “Why is it that local authorities are still investing £16bn in fossil fuels and over £9bn in fracking?” Sunak responded: “It's not my job to tell anyone in this room individually in how to invest their funds.”

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