MONMOUTH MP David Davies has ignited a war of words with rock band The 1975 over their world tour plans.
The MP has called out the band's members for perceived hypocrisies over climate change, suggesting their recent support of the Extinction Rebellion protests are incompatible with flying around the world.
His comments have prompted an angry reaction from the band's manager, and fans, on social media.
"Given your concern about a "climate emergency", I just wondered how you are going to get to these places?" Mr Davies asked in an open letter he shared on Twitter.
"Are you travelling to Asia on the Trans-Siberian Express? Or will you be sailing in a £4m super-yacht like your mate Greta [Thunberg]?"
Recently, The 1975 collaborated with teenage environmental activist Ms Thunberg, 16, to record an essay about climate change.
Earlier this week, Ms Thunberg sailed 3,000 miles in a zero-emissions yacht, from Plymouth to New York, where she will speak at the United Nations climate summits.
The 1975's current tour will include concerts in Hong Kong, Thailand, Singapore, France, and the United States – a schedule Mr Davies called "a tad hypocritical".
"There may be a "climate emergency" but any reasonable person can see that wealthy musicians being unable to fly where and when they want, to play gigs, would be a far greater emergency," the MP added.
Climate protest backing pop group @the1975 are off on a world tour next week. I’ve written to ask them if they are travelling by train or yacht.. pic.twitter.com/4pQXxOqGwW
— David TC Davies MP 🏴🇬🇧 (@DavidTCDavies) August 30, 2019
This is not the first time Mr Davies has spoken out regarding climate change.
Speaking to the South Wales Argus during the Extinction Rebellion protests in April, Mr Davies said he was "less convinced by the arguments against carbon dioxide" than the need to reduce harmful emissions, and the parliamentary vote tracking website They Work For You records that the Monmouth MP has generally voted against measures to prevent climate change.
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Shortly after Mr Davies tweeted his open letter to The 1975, the band's manager Jamie Oborne responded, saying: "So parliament is suspended at the most important time in modern UK politics, and the most pressing issue on this clown's mind is looking for clout on Twitter.
"Enjoy your five minutes."
Several people who reacted to Mr Oborne's response asked whether Mr Davies' open letter was to be taken seriously.
"I fully cannot believe this is legit – I had to read it three times," one user wrote.
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