Climate denialism gives fossil-fuel interests strong reasons to support the far right, which connects the issues of Palestine, anti-racism and climate justice, argues Nandita Lal

The recent far-right riots in the UK, which many attribute to the actions and rhetoric of Nigel Farage, expose a troubling intersection between climate denial, fossil-fuel interests, and far-right extremism. Farage’s Reform UK party, financially supported by fossil-fuel donors like Terence Mordaunt and Jeremy Hosking, has been spreading climate disinformation. By downplaying the importance of achieving net-zero emissions, Farage’s party helps protect the fossil-fuel industry’s profits while delaying meaningful climate action. This tactic is not unique to Farage; major oil corporations like Shell, Chevron, BP, and ExxonMobil similarly benefit from delaying climate actions as net zero poses an existential threat to them.

The financial gain for these companies is staggering while the world is burning from war and wildfires. In the second quarter of 2023, Shell posted profits of £5 billion ($6.3 billion) and has paid out £18 billion ($23 billion) to shareholders since June 2023 – while the world crossed the critical 1.5°C warming. BP reported similar gains, with £2.2 billion ($2.8 billion) in Q2 profits.

It is not just Reform. Fossil-fuel groups have captured many British politicians. The BP, Shell and Equinor funded group called Onward was the Sunak government’s most popular think tank in 2023. The new Labour government is similarly being captured. Fossil-fuel lobbyists and an energy company donated over £45,000 to Labour’s new MPs, according to the first update to the MPs’ Register of Financial Interests since the election.

The far-right movement in the UK has also targeted pro-Palestine activism. For instance, far-right groups disrupted a pro-Palestine march in London during Armistice Day in November last year. Tommy Robinson, who called that disruption, framed it as a defence of Britain against supposed external influences to demonstrate that ‘Britain has not fallen’.

Palestine’s history is closely tied to the oil economy and Western imperialism, highlighting the need for solidarity between the struggle for a Free Palestine and the fight against the climate crisis. Environmental groups like Fossil Free London and Just Stop Oil have been vocal about this link, organising protests that highlight how companies profit from the crisis in Gaza. 

In one recent action, Fossil Free London blockaded BP’s headquarters to protest against the company’s involvement in securing gas deals from Gaza. This pattern of profiteering was evident just weeks after Israel’s October 2023 invasion of Gaza, when Israel awarded new drilling contracts to companies like Eni and BP.

The fight for Palestinian liberation and the global battle against fossil-fuel imperialism are deeply interconnected. Far-right riots and the record convictions for Stop Oil protestors represent another arm of this global struggle.