Extinction Rebellion target Glasgow Barclays branches over climate action plans

Climate protesters handed over letters to the bosses of Barclays branches in Argyle Street and Kilmarnock Road on Wednesday morning, highlighting what they called the failure of the bank to take seriously the climate emergency. 

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Myke Hall, an activist, called financial giant "the dirtiest bank in Europe". 

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The 34-year-old writer added: "They are deceiving their customers, and fueling the destruction of the enviroment and the extinction of species."

A report published this year by the Rainforest Action Network found that Barclays was the largest financier of fossil fuels in Europe and the seventh in the world. 

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On Wednesday, Barclays shareholders voted against taking tougher action on climate targets, sparking protests from environmental campaigners. 

A Barclays spokesman said: "We have made a commitment to align our entire financing portfolio to the goals of the Paris Agreement, with specific targets and transparent reporting, on the way to achieving our ambition to be a net zero bank by 2050.

"We believe that Barclays can make a real contribution to tackling climate change and help accelerate the transition to a low-carbon economy.”