Parliament rooftop protest

Environmental campaigners climbed onto the roof of the Houses of Parliament yesterday, unfurling banners which read: "Change the politics, save the climate."

At least 30 activists from Greenpeace occupied the roof of the building.

A police helicopter circled overhead in the drizzle as bemused tourists looked on.

Greenpeace executive director John Sauven said: "We've got to raise the temperature of the debate because we are really running out of time.

"We are at a minute to midnight and there is so little time left but so much to do.

"The idea behind this is that we've been through three party political conferences but when you look at what needs to happen in terms of building a low carbon economy, creating green jobs and helping to save the world from climate change, the fact is that George Osborne didn't spend one word talking about it and Alistair Darling spent just one sentence.

"This should be at the core of what they are talking about.

"If we want to get people back to work and fill new industries that can be competitive and solve the problems of climate change the political parties have got to get on message not just in terms of their words but also with their deeds."