A vicar from Oxfordshire who sewed his lips together as part of a protest outside the offices of a global media company owned by Rupert Murdoch has branded COP26 a failure.

Reverend Tim Hewes, who lives in Wantage, did not attend the summit where world leaders debated how to tackle climate change as he is taking a step back following his last action when he glued himself to the News UK building last month and was arrested and held overnight.

He said: “I wasn’t there – like all the other 140 named on the Insulate Britain injunction I’ve been receiving special delivery post almost daily, over 20 so far from the High Court. If you’re not in they tape them to the door."

Oxford’s Green Party has hit out at the COP26 deal, saying it has ‘failed’ in its primary aim to tackle the climate crisis.

The Glasgow Climate Pact was signed by 200 countries last Saturday, with the agreement pressing nations to reduce emissions and reliance on fossil fuels as well as promising more money for developing countries.

However, the some believe the deal is not enough to keep the goal of capping global warming at 1.5 degrees Celsius in reach.

Rev Hewer said: “I agree with Oxford Green Party. Lots of talk and still the fossil fuel companies who sponsored much of COP call the tune and have the brakes hard on any incentives to decrease usage and emissions.

"Note our Government’s refusal to insulate social housing, which is a no brainer, or staggeringly, no commitment for all new build houses to have solar panels. How can either of these decisions be justified in the light of all the fine words at COP.

"One reason I didn’t go was exactly because I had no expectation of a good response and couldn’t face going as a witness to failure which is why a lot of activists went.

"How can it be justified to make criminals out of sound-minded climate activists, sending them to prison which is on the cards at the High Court today and not insulate social housing or put solar panels in new build houses. The only possibility is corruption. Fossil fuel companies and climate change deniers – especially Murdoch - have control.

"They will not acknowledge the climate and environment emergency until the caviar runs out and the butler drops dead from heat exhaustion."

Rev Hewer was photographed in London in August holding a sign that read 'Murdoch - the most destructive man in the history of the planet?'.

The 71-year-old was also jailed in March for 14 days for gluing himself to furniture at the City of London Magistrates' Court.

In a statement published by Christian Climate Action, the Christian arm of Extinction Rebellion, he said: "I have sewn up my lips to demonstrate the terrible havoc Rupert Murdoch’s actions have reaped upon the world and to make this visible.

"Climate science and truth has been muted, those who suffer are not being heard."

After two hours Rev Hewes ended his protest and removed his stitches.