Gail Bradbrook

Gail Bradbrook

Gail Bradbrook, Simon Bramwell and Roger Hallam founded Extinction Rebellion. Gail Bradbrook "was turned to activism by two psychedelic drugs".

Gail Bradbrook's partner is Simon Bramwell, a co-founder of Extinction Rebellion.

Founding

From Tom Wall of The Guardian on April 20 2019:

"These free-spirited Cotswold streets of vegetarian eateries, quirky shops and yoga retreats have played a pivotal role in the development of Extinction Rebellion, which is supported by the former archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, and the 16-year-old Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg. Two of the group’s three founders, Gail Bradbrook and her partner Simon Bramwell, live in the town. Other key local activists include the group’s regional co-ordinator, Katerina Hasapopolous, and Labour town councillor Skeena Rathor, who superglued herself to Jeremy Corbyn’s gate last week."

Other supporters mentioned in the article include Dani Jones, Ali Gardener, Fraser Dahdouh, Stuart Butler, and Mac McHardy.

Support of Stroud Town Leadership

"They appear to have support on the Green-dominated town council. The mayor, Kevin Cranston, is proud the group was born in Stroud: “It is what you would expect from Stroud.” Cranston, a former army helicopter pilot, said the founders deserve a hero’s welcome on returning to town. “I support their aims 100% and don’t have a problem with passive non-violent protest – if that breaks the law, that is their choice. The minor misdemeanours they have committed are trivial in comparison with the far greater crimes committed by those who are destroying the planet.”"

Gail Bradbrook and Roger Hallam speak in separate interviews

Extinction Rebellion founders and anti-Capitalist agitators Gail Bradbrook and Roger Hallam speak in separate interviews

Extinction Rebellion founders and anti-Capitalist agitators Gail Bradbrook and Roger Hallam speak in separate interviews.

Severely Restrict Everyone

From the BBC in April 2019:

Article:

"Extinction Rebellion's attempts to clog the heart of London and other cities across the UK have undoubtedly driven the issue of climate change up the news agenda.

"But amid the die-ins - where protestors pretend to be dead - bridge swarmings and arrests, there hasn't been too much consideration of the group's actual plans to tackle rising temperatures.

"As a solution to the "climate breakdown and ecological collapse that threaten our existence", Extinction Rebellion is proposing three key steps.

"The government must, in their words, "tell the truth" about the scale of the crisis the world now faces.

"Secondly, the UK must enact legally binding policies to reduce carbon emissions to net zero by 2025.

"The third step is the formation of a Citizens' Assembly to "oversee the changes" that will be needed to achieve this goal.

Is zero emissions by 2025 realistic?

"Getting to net zero carbon emissions in the UK by 2025 would be an extremely difficult target, given that, right now, the government is mulling a plan to commit to net zero by 2050.

"Consider the changes that would be needed to get to net zero in just six years.

"Gas boilers across the UK would have to be replaced with electricity, and you'd need to massively ramp up renewable energy, on a scale not yet seen, to meet this extra demand.

"Researchers at Zero Carbon Britain suggested that if the UK wanted to get to net zero by 2030, Britain would need to get about 130 gigawatts of electricity from wind, meaning around 13,000 extra wind turbines off shore. This would take up an area twice the size of Wales. The UK would also need about 7 gigwatts of onshore wind, meaning another 3,500 turbines.

"There would also have to be significant dietary changes, with people cutting back on meat and dairy.

"Flying would have to be restricted. Severely.

[...]

"Those involved with Extinction Rebellion say that the nature of the climate crisis is such that even large-scale carbon cutting plans just won't be enough.

"This is not the time to be realistic, this is the time for humanity to completely change course," said Dr Gail Bradbrook, a co-founder of the organisation.

"This is not about fiddling around the edges, and adding a few solar panels to a few roofs; we have left it so late that we have to step up in a semi-miraculous way to deal with this situation."

"Who is going to make the tough decisions on emissions cuts?

"Extinction Rebellion says that the key elements of their plan to get the UK to net zero will be set by a Citizens Assembly, composed of people representatively selected from across Britain.

"Let's have people decide what matters most to them, is it the health and safety and the ability to feed their own kids or does it matter to them that they carry on having holidays and meat?"

"We need Joe the bus driver and Frances the hairdresser to get their heads around it," said Dr Bradbrook.

[...]

"Is there political momentum behind drastic cuts?

"The government has to uphold UK law on climate change, that mandates a series of emissions cuts over time.

"Extinction Rebellion believes that many politicians want to go much further. They say that political forces are happy to see their protestors on the streets, disrupting traffic and transport.

"It believes the group is creating the space for a joined-up approach among politicians that has been absent until now.

""We've just got to get away from these left-right political fights - this is beyond that. I want to see people sitting in a room and bringing the solutions and being real together and saying how do we get out of this?" said Gail Bradbrook.

2015 Compassionate Revolution Launch

At the 2015 Compassionate Revolution Launch, Gail Bradbrook declared in part: "So basically, the Compassionate Revolution says we need a rapid redistribution of wealth and power to tackle the urgent issues of our age." [around the 14:00 minute mark]

Speakers include Gail Bradbrook, George Barda, Sarah Lunnon and Polly Higgins, with music from Michael Dinesh.

As reported verbatim:

"The Stroud News and Journal reported the launch and quote Dr Gail Bradbrook, one of the founders of the Compassionate Revolution, saying: “66 people now own more wealth that the poorest half of the world. The rich and powerful have far too big a say in what happens and information is often kept out of reach from ordinary people. Our democracy has been captured by vested interests.By coming together online and pledging to undertake specific actions, such as refusing to pay small amounts of tax, ordinary people are given a tool whereby they can assert collective power.”

"Fellow organiser, climate change and Occupy democracy activist George Barda, said: “Social change has always involved periods of confrontation, when people are willing to undertake acts of civil disobedience. “Most of the things we take for granted these days, from weekends, to the welfare state, the right to roam and voting, have been hard won by ordinary people fighting for justice.”

"Organiser and musician Michael Dinesh said at the event that issues such as inequality, austerity, climate change, the power of big multi-nationals, billionaire owned media and tax avoidance are some of the concerns of the Compassionate Revolution. As noted in this film he said: “This is as much about inner change as outer. Without addressing how we relate to ourselves and to one another on an individual level we cannot expect real change to happen in wider society. It will be just more of the same otherwise.”

References

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