Designer delivers fracking 
message with asbestos ‘gift’

The 73-year-old was at Downing Street with her businessman son Joseph Corre to campaign about the alleged health risks linked to fracking.

Mr Corre, whose impresario father Malcolm McLaren died of cancer due to asbestos, and his mother warned that the controversial hydraulic fracturing technique of extracting oil and gas could become “the next asbestos or thalidomide”.

They turned up outside the gates of Downing Street with another protester dressed as Santa Claus wearing a gas mask to deliver a box of asbestos – but police did not allow the “present” through.

Asked if she expected the Prime Minister to listen to their message, Ms Westwood said: “Will David Cameron listen to us? He lost a child, he must have some sympathy, and he’s not connecting the dots.”

Instead of the box of asbestos, Westwood and her son delivered “independent medical reports” on the consequences of fracking.

“They link very clearly the chemicals used in fracking industry to some really horrible, serious illnesses,” 47-year-old Mr Corre said.

“Birth defects in children, horrible cancers, skin diseases, rashes, nosebleeds, stunted growth, all kinds of things. We are lucky to have this information in advance from the terrible situation that his happening right now in the United States.

“We have the opportunity now, and I hope David Cameron takes it, to put an end to what could be something quite disastrous for the UK.

“David Cameron has no democratic mandate to be pushing this through on to the British people. This is something the entire country is going to start waking up to.”

Downing Street declined to respond to Ms Westwood’s comments about Mr Cameron’s son.