INSULATE Britain campaigners on hunger strike in prison spoke out today against the failure of Tory ministers to stop the country’s homes leaking heat.

Emma Smart, who has refused food at HMP Bronzefield in Surrey for nearly three weeks, was moved to the prison’s hospital wing last week after staff became concerned about her health.

Today, she said: “Every year, at least 8,500 people die in frozen homes, with reports that this year the death toll from fuel poverty will be even greater.

“In the sixth-richest country in the world, this is a disgrace.”

Fellow Insulate Britain activist Dr Ben Buse is also on hunger strike at HMP Thameside in south-east London.

Dr Buse, who is serving a four-month sentence for breaking the government’s anti-protest injunctions, is due to appear with eight other defendants at the High Court next Tuesday on a further charge of contempt of court.

“The continued prosecution of ordinary people who have broken these injunctions is cowardly,” he said.

“When will [Prime Minister] Boris [Johnson] do the right thing by stopping these prosecutions and start insulating Britain’s homes?”