Conservative MP David Davies accuses The 1975 of hypocrisy over climate change
Written by News on 31/08/2019
A Conservative MP has written a letter to the pop band The 1975 to accuse them of hypocrisy over climate change.
David Davies, the MP for Monmouth in Wales, has asked the group how they plan to travel on their world tour given their concerns about carbon emissions.
The band have featured a recorded essay from the Swedish climate change activist Greta Thunberg on their new album Notes On A Conditional Form.
On the track, also named The 1975, she calls for “civil disobedience” and says “there are no grey areas when it comes to survival”.
The Manchester band, made up of Ross MacDonald, George Daniel, Adam Hann and frontman Matthew Healy, said any proceeds from the track would be donated to the climate change activist group Extinction Rebellion.
Mr Davies, who published his letter on Twitter, told the band he had listened to the track and added: “Apparently, you feel so strongly about the ‘climate emergency’ that you are donating all proceeds to Extinction Rebellion so they can continue to block roads and prevent people from getting to work.
“And next week you are setting off to work yourselves, on a world tour, playing concerts in South Korea, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, Australia, New Zealand and various venues across America.”
The letter continues: “Given your concern about a ‘climate emergency’, I just wondered how you are going to get to these places?
“Are you travelling to Asia on the Trans-Siberian Express? Or will you be sailing in a £4m super-yacht like your mate Greta?
“Do tell us. We must silence any mean-minded sceptics who think it’s a tad hypocritical to preach on the evils of carbon emissions one minute – then jet across the globe the next.”
He finishes the letter with: “P.S. Are you going to be asking Extinction Rebellion to block roads in the cities when you play so that we can be certain nobody drives to one of your concerts by car?”
The 1975 has not yet commented on the letter on Twitter, but the MPs post was met with criticism by fellow social media users.
Buzzfeed news editor Alan White replied to Mr Davies’ tweet: “Do some work instead.”
A social media user named only as Matt wrote: “Imagine being elected to do good and yet you’re trying to play a game of points scoring (and losing may I add) against a 16-year-old and a pop band who are trying to change the world for the better.”
(c) Sky News 2019: Conservative MP David Davies accuses The 1975 of hypocrisy over climate change
