An East Yorkshire protester who climbed on to the roof of the Houses of Parliament has vowed to continue his environmental campaigning.

Richard Claxton, 42, of Pocklington, was among dozens of Greenpeace volunteers who spent 27 hours on top of the historic building earlier this week to publicise their message that action is needed now to save the environment.

They were trying to persuade politicians, who were returning to Parliament after the summer recess, to put climate change at the top of their agenda.

Back on the ground, Mr Claxton vowed to continue lobbying his local MP, Greg Knight, about the issue.

“I hope that he will be a supporter for the UK playing a leading role in getting us a good climate deal,” said Mr Claxton.

“I think we have got to get the message over to the politicians in our country that they are failing to tackle climate change and time is running out. Unless we change our politics, we won’t save the climate, and future generations won’t forgive us.”

He was talking ahead of an international climate conference at Copenhagen in December.

Of his capital stunt, Mr Claxton said it was cold at night and “not particularly comfortable” on the roof of the Victorian Gothic Houses of Parliament. He and 40 fellow Greenpeace UK volunteers used ladders to ascend to the roof, with five using ropes to get on to the building’s lightning conductor. The remainder stayed on a lower roof. They took food and water with them and unfurled a large banner. They also issued a manifesto they want politicians to sign giving 12 steps they believe will reduce carbon emissions in the UK and help poorer countries develop clean energy, adapt to the impacts of climate change and protect their rainforests.

When they descended late on Monday afternoon, they were arrested and spent a day in police custody before being released on bail to return to Charing Cross Police Station in January.