Climate change protestors tried to block Boris Johnson’s car from getting to Buckingham Palace where he was due to meet the Queen and officially become prime minister.
Johnson had headed to the palace so the sovereign could ask the new Tory leader to form a government in the wake of Theresa May’s resignation.
However, activists with Greenpeace formed a human chain across The Mall, forcing the incoming premier’s convoy to stop.
They had planned to hand him a letter asking him to recognise there is a climate emergency – and calling on him to take drastic measures to respond to it.
Police quickly rushed to the scene to move on the protestors and Johnson’s car was eventually able to get through.
John Sauven, chief executive of Greenpeace UK, was part of the line of protesters that interrupted Boris Johnson’s motorcade.
He told PA: “The police were very fast in reacting and we were expecting that.“We weren’t trying to stop Boris Johnson becoming Prime Minister, we were trying to get a message to Boris that he has to treat the climate emergency seriously.”
The stunt is now destined to be splashed across tomorrow’s newspapers.
Johnson’s first day in the big job was also marked by a series of Cabinet minister resignations, including those of Chancellor Philip Hammond, International Development Secretary Rory Stewart and Justice Secretary David Gauke, all of whom said they could not sign up to Johnson’s refusal to rule out a no-deal Brexit.