Labour’s ‘zombie’ Greenpeace candidate quizzed about protest ‘during work time’

A Labour candidate is facing more questions about his involvement in a Greenpeace protest after speculation arose that he may have taken part “during work hours.” The Mid-Bedfordshire by-election representative, Alistair Strathern, dressed up as a zombie outside the Home Office with the eco-warrior group in November of last year. He was campaigning against a new law that would help curb hated environmental protests by the likes of Just Stop Oil and Extinction Rebellion. Just days before the group had trespassed on Rishi Sunak’s private family home. A Tory MP has now written to the Bank of England, where Mr Strathern works, asking whether he did so during working hours. Danny Kruger, who sits on the Treasury Select Committee, has called for a probe into the influence Greenpeace and other extremist climate groups may have over employees at the bank. He has also demanded to know whether the protest occurred during work hours. Labour candidate Alistair Strathern at a Greenpeace protest last year (Image: Greenpeace) Mr Kruger’s letter, revealed by The Sun, says: ‘Mr Strathern has failed in his duty to avoid any suggestion that the Bank is being inappropriately influenced’. ‘Can you rule out he was not meeting senior members of the Opposition or far-left protest groups during his working day at the Bank of England?’ The Bank of England has refused to comment on staffing matters. According to Mr Strathern’s councillor register of interests, he has a well-paid job as the climate lead for insurance at the Bank of England. The bank’s website says climate change is ‘at the heart of our prudential, financial stability and monetary policy objectives and the way we run our operations. ‘We have and will continue to act proactively to address the risks from climate change. Our efforts are driven by our climate objective and goals.’ Danny Kruger MP has written to the Bank demanding answers (Image: PA) The Bank’s governor, Mark Carney, has repeatedly warned of the ‘physical damage’ climate change could wreak on the UK economy, with the central bank playing a role in reviewing UK insurers and banks’ exposure to climate change-related risks. Net Zero Secretary Grant Shapps has called on Sir Keir Starmer to ditch Mr Strathern as the party’s candidate. He said: ‘One minute they are climbing the PM’s house, next they’ve got a Labour rosette on’. ‘Sir Keir Starmer must show he practises what he preaches for once, and block the eco-mob from his candidates list.’ A poll out earlier this week showed 60 percent of Brits believing the protest by Greenpeace at Mr Sunak’s private family home to be unacceptable. Just 27 percent said it was fair fame. Despite the embarrassing links, Sir Keir is standing by his candidate.