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Green custard thrown on Mandelson Green custard thrown at Mandelson
(40 minutes later)
Business Secretary Lord Mandelson has had green custard thrown over him by a protester as he arrived at the launch of a low-carbon summit in London.Business Secretary Lord Mandelson has had green custard thrown over him by a protester as he arrived at the launch of a low-carbon summit in London.
The protester, Leila Deen, told the BBC that she was protesting on behalf on environmental group Plane Stupid. The protester, Leila Deen, is a member of environmental group Plane Stupid which is campaigning against a third runway at Heathrow.
She described the substance she threw as "green-coloured custard". The move was a "last resort" after the democratic process failed, she said.
The government is to call for an international "green new deal" to boost the environmental sector and help lift the global economy out of recession. The government approved a new runway last month despite opposition by MPs, local residents and green campaigners.
'Adolescent protest''Adolescent protest'
Ms Deen, 29, told the BBC that her actions were motivated in Lord Mandelson's involvement in the government's decision to approve a new runway at Heathrow. Ms Deen, 29, told the BBC that she had informed Lord Mandelson that the substance involved was custard.
She said Lord Mandelson was an unelected politician and he was siding with the "interests of business" rather than the "interests of the people and the planet".
She justified the "direct action" as the best way of bringing about change given that she and others were excluded from the democratic process.
"When democracy is failing you have to resort to any means necessary as long as it is peaceful and does not harm other human beings," she said.
It's not right that someone like Peter Mandelson can stand up and talk about being green Leila Deen, Plane Stupid protester Brown calls for 'green new deal'It's not right that someone like Peter Mandelson can stand up and talk about being green Leila Deen, Plane Stupid protester Brown calls for 'green new deal'
"It is for the third runway and the fact that he corrupted our government to create something which will effectively destroy our climate," she said. She added: "Peter Mandelson is the same person who effectively bullied Ed Miliband and other members of the cabinet to accept a third runway that nobody wants, a third runway that no one was consulted on and no one is able to say no to.
"Peter Mandelson is the same person who effectively bullied Ed Miliband and other members of the cabinet to accept a third runway that nobody wants, a third runway that no one was consulted on and no one is able to say no to.
"It's not right that someone like Peter Mandelson can stand up and talk about being green.""It's not right that someone like Peter Mandelson can stand up and talk about being green."
But Lord Mandelson dismissed the action as an "adolescent protest". Ms Deen, who works for anti-poverty charity, denied indulging in "childish" stunts and hit back at criticism of her e-mailed in by BBC viewers.
"You can talk about me being a yuppie, I am no such thing, I've got a very normal background," she told BBC News, saying the protest was "a light hearted way of making a very serious point".
Lord Mandelson dismissed the action as an "adolescent protest".
"She was so busy throwing what seemed like green soup or something in my face that she failed to tell me what the protest was about, but, as you can see, thankfully is wasn't paint and I've come through it intact," he said."She was so busy throwing what seemed like green soup or something in my face that she failed to tell me what the protest was about, but, as you can see, thankfully is wasn't paint and I've come through it intact," he said.
Green summit
Shortly after the incident, he reappeared minus his coat.Shortly after the incident, he reappeared minus his coat.
Green summit
Plane Stupid has launched a range of protests against a new runway at Heathrow, including scaling the roof of Parliament and blocking the runway at Stansted.Plane Stupid has launched a range of protests against a new runway at Heathrow, including scaling the roof of Parliament and blocking the runway at Stansted.
Gordon Brown is also due to attend Friday's summit, organised to look at ways in which the UK can develop jobs and business in environmental industries. The decision to build a new runway remains hugely controversial with opponents set to mount a legal challenge to try and block it.
The government won a vote on the issue in Parliament after making a number of concessions on the number of new flights and the type of aircraft which will be allowed to use it.
Gordon Brown is due to attend Friday's summit, organised to look at ways in which the UK can develop jobs and business in environmental industries.
He will call for an international "green new deal" to boost the environmental sector and help lift the global economy out of recession.
The government wants to turn the UK into a world leader in green industries of the future, with the aim of reducing carbon emissions by 80% by the year 2050.The government wants to turn the UK into a world leader in green industries of the future, with the aim of reducing carbon emissions by 80% by the year 2050.
Ahead of the summit Lord Mandelson said: "I am not denying that the targets we have set are both tight and ambitious."