RBS faces wrath of climate activists

Climate change protesters set up camp close to the Royal Bank of Scotland headquarters yesterday, accusing the state-owned bank of using taxpayers' money to finance the fossil fuel industry.

Activists expect up to a thousand protesters to join the camp just outside Edinburgh ahead of a planned day of mass action against RBS on Monday.

A spokeswoman for RBS said it was in the vanguard of lending to renewable energy projects.

"As a major international bank we provide support for businesses working across many industries and reflect the make-up of society and the economy," she said. An offer to meet the protesters' leaders was still open, she added.