Just Stop Oil protesters have caused a second day of travel chaos as they vow to remain on top of the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge until they are “brought down”.
The major road bridge linking Essex and Kent was closed after the masts were scaled by two climbers from the group, whose demands include that the government “halts all new oil and gas licences and consents”.
The closure of the M25 Dartford Crossing caused delays of two hours during rush hour on Monday, with six miles of congestion on the anti-clockwise carriageway and five miles in the opposite direction, National Highways said.
Commuters saw similar disruption on Tuesday morning after the group said the activists will remain on the bridge’s masts for as long as possible.
National Highways South East tweeted at around 7am that there was already six miles of congestion on the approach in both directions and advised people to “consider alternative routes” on Tuesday.
“There is no estimation for when the bridge may re-open at this stage,” it added.
A spokesperson for Just Stop Oil told the PA news agency: “They’re not going to come down in the dark, and the bridge is still closed,” she said.
“So they will have closed the M25 for over 24 hours, at least.
“My understanding is that they are going to stay up there until they’re brought down, that’s my understanding at the moment.
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“I don’t know how they’re going to be brought down, and I’m not sure the police do either at the moment.”
The spokesperson added that the group has further actions planned in London throughout October.
Essex Police said officers were called shortly before 3.50am on Monday to a report that two people had climbed on to the bridge at the Dartford Crossing.
Chief Superintendent Simon Anslow said his priorities were to “keep people safe and keep Essex moving”.
An Essex Police spokesman said it was a “complex operation” due to how high the protesters had climbed.
Morgan Trowland, 39, is one of the protesters on the bridge.
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Just Stop Oil protesters scale Dartford Crossing
In a statement released by Just Stop Oil, he said: “As a professional civil engineer, each year as I renew my registration I commit to acting within our code of ethics, which requires me to safeguard human life and welfare and the environment.
“Our government has enacted suicidal laws to accelerate oil production, killing human life and destroying our environment.
“I can’t challenge this madness in my desk job, designing bridges, so I’m taking direct action, occupying the QEII bridge until the government stops all new oil.”
Another protester, identified as Marcus, 33, a teacher from London, said: “Only direct action will now help to reach the social tipping point we so urgently need.”
“Immediate action” is being taken after blueprints of jail layouts were shared online.
The maps detailing the layouts of prisons in England and Wales were leaked on the dark web over the past fortnight, according to The Times.
The detailed information is said to include the locations of cameras and sensors, prompting fears they could be used to smuggle drugs or weapons into prisons or help inmates plan escapes.
Security officials are now working to identify the source of the leak and who might benefit from the details.
The Ministry of Justice did not disclose which prisons were involved in the breach.
A government spokesperson said in a statement: “We are not going to comment on the specific detail of security matters of this kind, but we are aware of a breach of data to the prison estate and, like with all potential breaches, have taken immediate action to ensure prisons remain secure.”
The leak comes amid a chronic prison overcrowding crisis, which has led to early release schemes and the re-categorising of the security risks of some offenders to ease capacity pressures.
The UK will “set out a path” to lift defence spending to 2.5% of national income in the spring, the prime minister has said, finally offering a timeframe for an announcement on the long-awaited hike after mounting criticism.
Sir Keir Starmer gave the date during a phone call with Mark Rutte, the secretary general of NATO, in the wake of threats by Moscow to target UK and US military facilities following a decision by London and Washington to let Ukraine fire their missiles inside Russia.
There was no clarity though on when the 2.5% level will be achieved. The UK says it currently spends around 2.3% of GDP on defence.
A spokeswoman for Downing Street said that the two men “began by discussing the situation in Ukraine and reiterated the importance of putting the country in the strongest possible position going into the winter”.
They also talked about the deployment of thousands of North Korean soldiers to fight alongside Russia.
“The prime minister underscored the need for all NATO countries to step up in support of our collective defence and updated on the government’s progress on the strategic defence review,” the spokeswoman said.
“His government would set out the path to 2.5% in the spring.”
The defence review will also be published in the spring.
While a date for an announcement on 2.5% will be welcomed by the Ministry of Defence, analysts have long warned that such an increase is still well below the amount that is needed to rebuild the armed forces after decades of decline to meet growing global threats from Russia, an increasingly assertive China, North Korea and Iran.
They say the UK needs to be aiming to hit at least 3% – probably higher.
With Donald Trump returning to the White House, there will be significantly more pressure on the UK and other European NATO allies to accelerate increases in defence spending.
A man has been arrested on suspicion of murder after one man died and another was critically injured in a shooting in Birmingham.
Police were called to Rotton Park Road in Edgbaston, just before 11pm on Friday, to reports that two people had been shot.
One man, in his 20s, was found in a car but was pronounced dead at the scene.
Another man, in his 30s, was found injured at a bus stop, and was taken to hospital where he remains in a critical condition, West Midlands Police added.
Firearms officers arrested a man in his 30s on suspicion of murder just before 12.30am. He remains in custody.
Officers remain on the scene, with road closures in place. The force said reassurance patrols will also be taking place.
Detective Inspector Nick Barnes said: “This is a tragic incident, and we have worked through the night to understand exactly what happened.
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“We’ve already made good progress and arrested a suspect, but I still need to hear from anyone who was in the area that we’ve not already spoken to.
“This happened near the busy junction with City Road and it may be that you’ve got dashcam footage or mobile phone footage from the area just before 11pm.
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“We really need to hear from you so that we can build as clear a picture as possible of what happened.”
Officers are urging anyone with information to get in contact, with anonymous tips also taken via Crimestoppers.