Elves with giant 'DIVEST' cracker to descend on County Hall

A group of carol-singing elves and santas bearing a six-foot 'DIVEST' cracker will be staging a special carol-singing protest outside County Hall in Lewes tomorrow (Tuesday, December 3) to demand that the East Sussex Pension Fund stop investing in the giant fossil fuel companies, like Shell and BP, that are driving the climate crisis.

The event, which will run from 8.45am – 9.45am, will feature a range of carols with lyrics changed to highlight the role of Councillors Gerard Fox (Cons, Hailsham New Town), Ian Hollidge (Cons, Bexhill South) and Paul Redstone (Cons, Northern Rother) in blocking fossil fuel divestment on the East Sussex Pension Committee, the Fund's ultimate decision-making body.

The East Sussex Pension Fund, which covers Brighton & Hove as well as East Sussex but is administered by East Sussex County Council (ESCC), has consistently refused to stop investing in fossil fuels (oil, coal and gas). It currently has millions of pounds of local people’s pension monies invested in oil and gas companies like Shell and BP.

A long list of local organisations and individuals have called on the East Sussex Pension Fund to make a public commitment to fully divest from fossil fuels. These include: Bexhill Town Council, Brighton & Hove City Council, Hastings Borough Council, Lewes District and Town Councils, Peacehaven Town Council, Rother District Council, Saleshurst & Robertsbridge Parish Council, and UNISON.

Global carbon emissions from the burning of fossil fuels – the main driver of global climate change - reached a record high in 2024, according to research by the Global Carbon Project published last month.

Bushy Evergreen said: "The impacts of global warming that we’ve seen in the Arctic in recent years – from the collapse of Canada’s last intact ice shelf to the vast wildfires that have engulfed large parts of Siberia – are a warning siren for the world.

"The rapid phase-out of fossil fuels is essential if we’re going to avoid even more catastrophic impacts that will affect everyone on this planet. That’s why it’s crackers that East Sussex County Council are still investing in the giant oil and gas companies, like Shell and BP, that are driving the climate crisis. It’s time for them to follow the lead of other UK pension funds and commit now to fully divesting from fossil fuels."

Pension Fund member Sarah Hazlehurst said: "By clinging on to its remaining investments in fossil fuel companies the East Sussex Pension Fund and East Sussex County Council are effectively providing a fig-leaf for these companies’ ongoing attempts to block effective climate action and missing a huge opportunity to show real leadership on the climate crisis.

"Moreover, divestment campaigns have a proven track record of bringing about real-world change. Indeed, a 2013 study by academics at the University of Oxford’s Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment concluded that in almost every previous example, from tobacco to South Africa, divestment campaigns were successful in bringing about restrictive legislation affecting targeted companies."