A Church of England diocese last night criticised members of clergy who took part in the M25 eco-protests.
The Diocese of Oxford said Tim Hewes, 71, Sue Parfitt, 79, Mark Coleman, 62, and Martin Newell, 54, had ‘frustrated many people’ by blocking the motorway.
Reverend Hewes, who once sewed up his lips in protest at the influence of media mogul Rupert Murdoch, has ‘permission to officiate’ in the diocese although he does not have a parish.
Reverend Parfitt, from Bristol, and Reverend Coleman, a former borough dean of Rochdale, are both retired from ministry.
Father Newell, a Roman Catholic priest belonging to the Passionist order, works with asylum seekers in Birmingham.
The Diocese of Oxford slammed clergy members including Reverend Tim Hewes, 71, (left) and Reverend Sue Parfitt (right) who took part in Insulate Britain’s M25 eco-protests
Reverends Sue Parfitt (far left), Mark Coleman (second from left), Tim Hewes (third from right, back) and Fr Martin Newell (far right) pictured blocking the M25 with Insulate Britain
Asked about Rev Hewes yesterday, a spokesman for the Diocese of Oxford said: ‘The actions of Rev Hewes and others, while arguably well-intentioned, have frustrated many people and we’re unclear how the actions have been productive in encouraging the urgent change required.
‘Legitimate protest can play an important part in national debate and decision making, but the actions of Insulate Britain in recent days aren’t helping.
‘Responding constructively to the current emergency is the responsibility of every family, every workplace, every village, town and city, every company, and every public institution. We all need to work together.’
Rev Hewes, a retired dentist, yesterday said the Bishop of Dorchester, Gavin Collins, who comes under the Diocese of Oxford, had told him ‘he does support issues regarding climate change and the environment but not about breaking the law’.
Activists block the road and stage a protest outside the Home Office in London today
Speaking from his home in Charney Bassett, Oxfordshire, he added: ‘I’m really sorry that we are having to do this, I know the frustration of being stuck in traffic jams, I am not underestimating the impact.
‘We get called a lot of stuff on the roads. I have been down there all four times, I have been arrested four times.’
While some villagers said they supported the campaign group’s aims, others were unforgiving.
One local said: ‘He’s quite an interesting character. He was going to protest about some trees that had to come down because they were dangerous for the village.
‘He was going to strap himself to the trees but he didn’t do that in the end. He even sewed his mouth together, that’s very recently. He came here about ten years ago –I’ve got no time for him.’
An elderly woman added: ‘I don’t attend his church. I think it’s disgusting, it’s stopping good people, doctors who can’t get to their patients, patients who have waited ages for appointments had them cancelled, it is just unbelievable.’
Rev Hewes’s own semi-detached home scores only an E on its energy performance certificate.
The Birmingham home that Fr Newell was living in until earlier this year also has an E rating.
Three clerics including Fr Newell are registered owners of the property in Sparkhill, Birmingham, as trustees of the Congregation of the Passion of Christ, according to Land Registry documents.
Fr Newell has been jailed at least six times, with convictions including causing £30,000 of damage by hammering on a nuclear convoy vehicle at RAF Wittering in 2000. He has also taken part in Extinction Rebellion protests.
Rev Coleman’s home in Rochdale has an energy rating of C, according to its report.
His wife Wendy Cocks, 63, a Labour member of Rochdale council, said yesterday: ‘We will get it fully insulated.’
Rev Parfitt’s maisonette in Bristol is D-rated. The report said the walls had no insulation and were ‘very poor’, and the boiler and radiators were ‘poor’.
Neighbours said they hadn’t seen her for some time. One commented: ‘She’s still on her adventures, it seems.’
Insulate Britain spokesman Liam Norton yesterday admitted to living in a south London council home with poor insulation.
Lambeth Palace declined to comment yesterday.
Asked about Fr Newell, the Catholic Archdiocese of Birmingham said it could not ‘restrict clergy from attending protests’.