MSPs join activists to call out BP’s corruption of Holyrood

May 30, 2025 by Extinction Rebellion

John Swinney, Scotland’s First Minister, seems to be saying the right things. Just earlier this month he condemned “anti-science climate denial” as he said the climate crisis is “one of the greatest global issues of our time”. But is this nothing more than empty words? [1]

In one of the largest reviews of corporate lobbying ever undertaken in Scotland, Friends of the Earth found that during an average working week at the Scottish Parliament, fossil fuel companies were meeting over six MSPs, well above one every working day [2]. It may be of little surprise, then, that on 7th May, Holyrood hosted a BP lobbying reception party. And activists were there to greet attendees.

Climate activists, alongside campaigners for the Palestinian cause, rolled out a ‘Carpet of Shame’ to greet lobbyists and politicians alike. A banner reading “DON’T LISTEN TO BP” and ‘ear’ placards urging policy makers to listen to their voters.

Sophie Renner (pictured above), 35, a physicist from Glasgow, said: “It is truly shameful that in 2025, MSPs, including the Cabinet minister for Net Zero and Energy, should be attending a private lobbying party held by BP and accompanying fossil fuel companies. MSPs need to listen to the science and the people of Scotland and cut all ties to fossil fuel companies.”

In February of this year, BP announced that it would be slashing planned investments in renewables and would increase oil and gas investments to $10 billion a year [3]. In addition, BP is accused of supporting genocide as it supplies Israel with 28% of its oil needs through the BP-operated Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline [4] and is set to enter Israel’s natural gas sector for the first time as Israel positions itself to become a regional energy hub for Europe [5].

Above: Freya Aitchison from Friends of the Earth Scotland

Alarmingly, attendees at the BP reception included Gillian Martin, the Scottish Government’s acting Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Energy. Outside, several Scottish Greens MSPs, including party co-leaders Patrick Harvie and Lorna Slater, Maggie Chapman and Ariane Burgess, joined constituents at the protest.

BP CEO Murray Auchincloss earned £5.4 million in 2024, whilst the number of households living in fuel poverty stands at 6.1 million (as of January 2025) [6], yet lobbying by these companies at the cost of the planet and its people continues unabated behind closed doors.

Cathy Allen, retired teacher, from Extinction Rebellion Edinburgh and Lothians said: “Lobbying by rich corporations like BP in the heart of government is distorting our democracy, crowding out experts in science, renewable energy and those inspiring solutions by filling the room with the same old fossil fuel bullies that have brought us to the climate and humanitarian crisis we are in.”