Insulate Britain activists said they have "failed" but are now planning an "even more ambitious" campaign.

The group, which orchestrated a number of protest roadblocks on the M25 and other key roads in 2021, said today it is "just getting started" and promised to continue demonstrating despite some members being jailed.

A number of activists were handed prison sentences after breaching an injunction aimed at curbing their climate change protests.

Watford Observer: Insulate Britain protesters outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London, ahead of a committal hearing on February 1. Credit: PAInsulate Britain protesters outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London, ahead of a committal hearing on February 1. Credit: PA

The environmental campaign group said in a statement: "It is with an extremely heavy heart that today we have to announce that as Insulate Britain we have failed.

"We failed to move our irresponsible Government to take meaningful action to prevent thousands of us from dying in our cold homes during the energy price crisis.

"We have failed to make this heartless Government put its people over profit and insulate our homes to do our part in lowering the UK’s emissions.

"We have failed to encourage our Government to get up from their drinks parties, go to their desk and get on with the job.

"And we failed in getting enough of you to join us on the roads to hold this treasonous and corrupt Government to account."

Watford Observer: Protesters at junction 20 for the M25Protesters at junction 20 for the M25

Insulate Britain blocked roads several times between September 13 and November 20 2021 including on numerous occasions in Hertfordshire. M25 junctions in Rickmansworth, Kings Langley, and South Mimms were targeted along with the M1 at Watford.

Watford Observer: Insulate Britain sitting on the M25. Credit: Insulate Britain Insulate Britain sitting on the M25. Credit: Insulate Britain

The group said its mission was to urge the Government to insulate all of Britain’s homes by 2030 to cut carbon emissions.

It added: "We will continue our campaign of civil resistance because we only have the next two to three years to sort it out and prevent us completely failing our children and hitting climate tipping points we cannot control.

"Now we must accept that we have lost another year, so our next campaign of civil resistance against the betrayal of this country must be even more ambitious.

"More of us must take a stand. More of you need to join us. We don’t get to be bystanders. We either act against evil or we participate in it.

"We haven’t gone away. We’re just getting started."

National Highways, the organisation that manages England’s major roads, brought contempt of court proceedings against protesters, accusing them of breaking an injunction granted in September aimed at curbing the blockades.