CLIMATE activists disrupted Europe’s largest insurance conference in Manchester yesterday, urging the industry to end its support for fossil fuel projects.

Outside the British Insurance Brokers Association (Biba) event at Manchester Central, campaigners staged a series of creative actions as part of Extinction Rebellion’s Insure Our Survival campaign, supported by Friends of the Earth, Manchester Greenpeace and other climate groups.

Activists unveiled a life-sized replica of a Lamborghini submerged in floodwaters, symbolising the growing threat of extreme weather events linked to the climate crisis.

A new report by Boycott Bloody Insurance found that 33 Britain-based insurers continue to back fossil fuel projects, with just five of them holding investments worth $6.5 billion (£4.88bn).

Protest organiser Martin Porter said: “The insurance industry is well aware of the risk from climate change and cannot continue to ignore the issue. ‘Business as usual’ is not an option. 

“Biba needs to decide if ‘A New Era’ means floods, fires, heatwaves and climate chaos or one where brokers refuse to enable carbon bomb projects.”

He called on delegates to “become climate heroes” and “help change their industry.”