Ministry of Tar Sands

Earlier this week, Greenpeace shut the doors of the Department for Transport after proof of the extent of collusion between the Lib/Dem Minister in charge of the dept - Norman Baker and the Canadian oil lobbying mission was revealed by a Freedom of Information request by the Co-Op.

Norman Baker is trying to prevent a vital piece of EU legislation called the Fuel Quality Directive from including a carbon figure for Tar Sands oil. This is because it is much higher than conventional crude and would effectively bar it from entering Europe.

Members of Oxford Greenpeace took part in the action which closed the main and corner entrances for the Monday morning return to work. Activists locked themselves to the doors, erected two pairs of giant handshakes (wearing Canadian and UK flag cufflinks) and banners declaring it 'HM Dept. for Tar Sands'. Two cars were also reversed and locked onto the doors on either side.

Receiving a very mixed reaction from the office workers trying to enter the building, when the police turned up, the situation evolved into a very controlled and slow process of assessments, form-filling, reports and eventually cutting equipment and arrests. Even so, the cars with activists locked inside proved to be a real challenge.

So do acts of civil disobedience really work?

The postponement of the Keystone XL pipeline in America clearly shows it does.

Whilst this action was relatively low key, it further ramps up the pressure on the Lib/Dem conscience highlighting the contradiction between the "leadership" position Chris Huhne is trying to achieve at the climate talks in Durban and the disgraceful lobbying for the Canadian oil industry. And also sends a message to other member states that Tar Sands oil means a whole world of pain.