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EnglishWhat does Greenpeace UK mean by "Kick the polluters out of politics"?
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"Kick the polluters out of politics" is Greenpeace UK's call to remove fossil-fuel money and influence from UK politics, on the argument that politicians should answer to ordinary people rather than to billionaires and fossil-fuel interests. The page states the problem directly: some politicians "continue to deny climate change and want to double down on making the climate crisis worse," and it describes those politicians as working "for themselves and their friends: billionaire climate sceptics and people with fossil-fuel businesses and investments." The action offered to the public is a petition — "Add your name to show you agree. Sign to stop polluter politics."
The core argument
The campaign rests on a simple claim of accountability, stated on the page as: "It's simple: politicians should work for ordinary people." Two things follow from that:
- Conflict of interest. Politicians with fossil-fuel businesses and investments, or who are funded by them, are presented as acting in the interest of those backers rather than the public.
- Climate denial as a policy risk. The page ties denial of climate change to a push to "double down on making the climate crisis worse" — that is, expanding rather than winding down fossil fuels.
What the campaign asks you to do
The stated action is a signature. The page frames it as a public signal of agreement with the principle that politics should not be run for polluters. Beyond signing, the site lists ways to get involved: join a campaign, volunteer, become an activist, apply for a job, or support Greenpeace financially. It notes that "our campaigns are funded by our supporters – and we don't accept any money from governments or corporations," which is the organisational logic behind a supporter-funded campaign against corporate influence in politics.
How it fits Greenpeace UK's wider mission
The slogan is one expression of the organisation's stated purpose: "Together we defend the natural world, and stand for a green and peaceful future." The same page connects the politics argument to concrete outcomes it claims to have helped push:
| Win | What the page says |
|---|---|
| Gas pricing | The UK government is "finally delinking gas and electricity prices" — described as a major win driven by people power |
| North Sea oil and gas | Britain has banned new North Sea exploration licences, "becoming the largest economy to turn away from oil and gas" |
| Fracking | A fracking ban is listed among the changes the campaign is helping to make happen |
| Deep-sea mining | Norway ruled out Arctic deep-sea mining until at least the end of 2029 |
| Ocean protection | The Global Ocean Treaty is coming into force after more than sixty countries ratified it |
The through-line is that political decisions — who gets licensed to drill, how energy is priced, whether polluters "pay their dues" — determine environmental outcomes, so the target of the campaign is the decision-makers and the interests behind them.
What the campaign is not
Nothing on the page proposes a specific mechanism such as banning donations, changing lobbying rules, or a particular bill. It is a public pressure and petition campaign built on a principle, not a detailed policy proposal. The page also does not state a signature target, a deadline, or what happens to signatures after they are collected.
If you want to act
Signing the petition is the entry point the page offers. If you want to do more, the site's "Get involved" section lists volunteering, activism, jobs, and donating as options. If you want to judge the claim for yourself, the site's "Research and analysis" section is where Greenpeace publishes the analysis behind its campaign positions — for example, its finding that a typical British roast dinner is produced using more than 100 pesticides.