“You spoilt brat”: Ex-Top Gear host Jeremy Clarkson lashes out at Greta Thunberg
Former Top Gear host Jeremy Clarkson has made his thoughts about climate change activist Greta Thunberg known, saying that she is a “spoilt brat” and that she should “shut up and get back to school”.
Greta Thunberg, 16, made headlines after speaking at the United Nations Climate Action summit summit, saying to leaders and politicians that they “stole her childhood”.
“I shouldn't be up here. I should be back in school on the other side of the ocean. Yet you all come to us for hope. How dare you. You have stolen my dreams and my childhood with your empty words,” the Swedish activist thundered in her speech at the Climate Action Summit 2019 in New York.
Clarkson didn’t take too kindly to those words and branded her a “spoilt brat” in his column for The Sun.
“How dare you sail to America on a carbon fibre yacht that you didn’t build which cost £15million, that you didn’t earn, and which has a back-up diesel engine that you didn’t mention,” Clarkson wrote.
“We gave you mobile phones and laptops and the internet. We created the social media you use every day and we run the banks that pay for it all. So how dare you stand there and lecture us, you spoilt brat.”
Clarkson continued with his rant, saying that Thunberg should “get back to school”.
“Something needs to be done about that. So how’s this for an idea. Get back to school as quickly as possible and work hard in your science lectures. Because science is what will solve the problem eventually. Not scowling and having screaming ab-dabs every five minutes.”
Clarkson finished his rant by saying that Thunberg should “shut up”.
“Many thousands of people who you had the temerity to blame this week are trying to do exactly what you want. So be a good girl, shut up and let them get on with it.”
Clarkson’s own daughter Emily has hit back on Twitter, voicing her anger over “middle age blokes” not speaking kindly about Thunberg.
Emily Clarkson retweeted a comment from Comedian John Bishop directed at Greta Thunberg which read: “You are an inspirational person. You have breathed life into the climate debate that was failing to get the attention it deserved. Whatever happens with the world it is a better place with you in it.”
Emily shared the post with the comment aimed at her father: “Wouldn’t it be nice if all middle aged blokes could talk to and about Greta, the ballsy af teenager out there changing the world, like this.”
Jeremy replied: “Wouldn’t it be nice if she learned some manners.”
To which Emily hit back: “A woman doesn’t need to be polite to make a point.”