Eighty protestors turned out in Warwick to oppose Reform UK's motion to reverse Warwickshire County Council's declaration of a climate emergency on this morning (July 21).

Around 20 Liberal Democrat, Green Party and Labour county councillors, ex-councillors and serving district councillors were involved as protestors chanted 'Farage lies, the ocean fries' and 'No floods, no fires, no climate change deniers'.

It came ahead of a full council meeting in which the ruling group put forward a motion – a statement of intent – to repeal the declaration initially made in 2019. It was reaffirmed one year ago, shortly after Reform took control following the May 2025 local elections.

Protestors held up placards, including one which asked county council leader Cllr George Finch 'What planet are you on?'. Others featured messages like 'Reform denies, Warwick fries', 'Think again, there is no planet B' and, in a reference to recent heatwaves, '40C classrooms – sounds like an emergency'.

Reform's portfolio holder for resources and internal affairs Cllr Mike Bannister emerged from the council building and held short conversations with some protestors. No counter protest or conflicts were apparent.

It follows recent protests against Reform proposals where 30 people turned out to object to plans to withdraw funding from a county-wide equalities service in May, one which resulted in Warwickshire Police investigating an alleged discriminatory remark as a "public order offence with a hate element".

Around 50 people then protested against Reform's review of what gets displayed in county libraries on July 1 after a statement from Cllr Finch alleged they were "promoting contested gender ideology".

On Tuesday, some of the protestors then moved inside to hear the chair of Warwickshire Climate Alliance, the umbrella organisation of the area's environmental groups, Stephen Norrie directly encourage councillors to vote down the motion.

His speech to full council referenced polling from not-for-profit research group Persuasion UK that suggested "62 per cent of people in Nuneaton and Bedworth think climate change should be a high priority for government", something Cllr Finch shook his head at.

"That's the lowest score across Warwickshire," he added.

"In all constituencies, more people want to see faster action than slower action. The motion put forward represents the view of a minority.

"It argues that the council's net zero programme is too financially onerous. Local climate activists have never argued that the council should spend money it does not have, the council should always evaluate whether particular climate policies represent value for money and surely there are reasonable conversations to be had there.

"That does not mean there is no longer a climate emergency. We are still in the midst of a record heatwave, UK winter rainfall is up around 10 per cent since 1980 and by 2050 one in four properties in England could be at risk of flooding.

"Heatwaves in Europe are intensifying faster than anywhere in the world – and much faster than climate models predict – threatening our water security and causing more damaging wildfires. About one third of food price inflation in 2023 was driven by these impacts. This will get worse the hotter the planet gets.

"Some have claimed that climate change is always happening and natural… We are burning fossil fuels, the planet will continue to heat until we reduce these emissions to net zero.

"Instead of thinking only about the costs of transition to net zero, we should think about the opportunities it brings to reduce bills and boost local resilience."

The motion, which will be heard on Tuesday afternoon, asks all councillors to get behind beliefs including the "duty" to review commitments after Reform's recently-adopted council plan dropped elements of climate work, that minimising the financial burdens placed upon Warwickshire families, motorists, farmers and businesses is "more pressing", and that the council should focus on things it can influence, including flooding, conservation of the countryside and energy resilience.

It does hold on to the belief that "environmental measures should be pursued where they are legally required, or where they produce clear, measurable and affordable benefits", but as well as seeking to drop the climate emergency declaration and a cross-party working group, there is another resolution to end work to try to make any new county council buildings carbon neutral, another aim that was passed in a motion in July 2025.

Reform also proposes to form a new cross-party group, featuring one member of every political group and an independent chair, to focus on the environment and flood resilience.

As well as reviewing climate-related commitments, targets and programmes, it would influence a replacement Environment, Flood Resilience and Energy Plan if formed.