The 1975 frontman Matthew Healy has said collaborating with Swedish teenage climate change activist Greta Thunberg made him realise how much criticism she receives.
A Tory MP last week called the band “hypocritical” after it emerged they had recorded a track with Greta, with all proceeds going towards climate change protest group Extinction Rebellion.
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
David Davies, the Tory member for Monmouth, sent a mocking letter asking how the group would travel around on their world tour.
Healy took to the stage at the GQ Men of the Year Awards in London after The 1975 had been named band of the year.
He said since the band collaborated with Greta, 16, they have seen “the amount of shit” she gets from critics.
As bold as they are brilliant. @the1975 are GQ's Band Of The Year 2019 @beatsbydre #GQAwards #GQPartner pic.twitter.com/wpgiq3qj2n
— British GQ (@BritishGQ) September 3, 2019
Greta was also among the winners at the star-studded ceremony in London on Tuesday, winning GQ’s Game Changer Award after earning worldwide prominence through her efforts to raise awareness of climate change.
Last month she completed a trans-Atlantic trip on a yacht to attend a global warming conference.
She has become a symbol of a growing movement of young climate activists, leading weekly protests in Sweden that inspired similar strikes in about 100 cities worldwide.