The son of a senior executive at a major superyacht insurance broker has been revealed as a ringleader for a prominent anti-capitalist protest group. Arthur Clifton, 25, is a leading organiser for Take Back Power, the activist group which has recently targeted high-profile London landmarks.
Private Education and Protest Actions
Privately educated Arthur Clifton grew up in an upmarket West London property and attended the prestigious Latymer Upper School, where annual fees reach £30,000. He has since become a key figure in Take Back Power, a successor group to Just Stop Oil.
The group has raised £56,000 through online fundraising for campaigns aimed at tackling economic inequality and imposing greater taxes on the wealthy. Their recent direct actions include dumping manure at The Ritz Hotel in Mayfair and throwing apple crumble and custard at the Crown Jewels in the Tower of London.
Clifton was previously a member of the direct action group Youth Demand. In early 2024, he received a 12-month community order and was sentenced to 120 hours of unpaid work. This was for causing £5,000 of criminal damage by spraying orange paint at University College London in 2023.
The Family Connection to High Finance
The Mail on Sunday can reveal that Clifton's father, Michael Clifton, 58, is a senior boss at international insurance brokers Chaucer. The firm boasts of taking $3.1 billion (£2.3 billion) in premiums in 2024. Michael Clifton heads the US casualty treaty division and has three decades of experience in the industry.
In a stark contrast to his son's activism, Chaucer prominently advertises its provision of insurance for private yachts – the preserve of the super-rich – as well as for cruise ships and tankers. A source highlighted the contradiction, stating: "Where Arthur’s dad works is in direct opposition to the aims and objectives of Take Back Power."
"Arthur has been given a private education and a wonderful lifestyle most young people can only dream of," the source added, "funded by his dad working in the same environment he claims to want to fight against." Records indicate the younger Clifton was recently living in a £2 million house.
Contradiction and Commentary
The revelation underscores a significant personal contradiction at the heart of the protest movement. While Arthur Clifton campaigns vociferously against wealth and privilege, his upbringing and family's wealth are intrinsically linked to the very financial sector he protests.
Take Back Power has responded to the exposure by reiterating its core message. The group stated: ‘It’s time ordinary people decide how to make the super-rich pay their fair share, in order to fix Britain.’
The situation raises questions about privilege, activism, and the complex personal backgrounds of those leading public campaigns for economic equality. The group's future actions and public reception may now be viewed through the lens of this newly revealed family connection.
