The Big Yin 'proud' of Glasgow kids - as they join climate protest

Billy Connolly has given his backing to children taking part in a climate change strike as pupils marched to from Kelvingrove Park to George Square.

Hundreds of thousands of people led by school children have taken part in the protests across the UK, calling for urgent action to tackle climate change.

Speaking to Clyde News reporter Keiran Fleming the Big Yin said: “I’m so proud of the Glasgow kids doing this. If they don’t do this, there might never be any school.

He went on to say: “It’s too important to ignore. They’re brilliant, we should be proud of them.''

He made the comments as children and students walked out of lessons and lectures and were joined by parents, campaigners and workers as part of global climate strikes which look set to be the largest environmental protests in history.

Organisers claim that around 100,000 people have taken part in a rally in central London, with more than 20,000 thought to have marched in Edinburgh and 10,000 in Brighton as crowds flocked on to the streets around the UK.

In London, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn told the youngsters in the crowd that you and a whole generation have brought the issue centre stage and I am absolutely delighted about that''.

He criticised US President Donald Trump for his failure to act on climate change and had a message for Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro that he wanted to work with him to preserve and protect the Amazon rainforest.

One of the protesters, Jessica Ahmed, 16, said: School is important but so is my future,'' and called on the Government to acknowledge the severity of the climate crisis.

If politicians were taking the appropriate action we need and had been taking this action a long time ago when it was recognised the world was changing in a negative way, then I would not have to be skipping school.''

Some of Friday's first protests were held in Australia, where an estimated 300,000 people gathered at more than 100 rallies calling for action to guard against climate change.

Demonstrations were also being held across parts of Asia, Africa and in European cities ahead of rallies in the US, as part of a movement inspired by teenage activist Greta Thunberg which has snowballed into mass protests around the world.

Some ministers and school leaders spoke out against pupils missing school to take part in the protests, but London Mayor Sadiq Khan, Green Party MP Caroline Lucas and Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson were among those backing the walkout for the Youth Strike 4 Climate campaign.

Some companies were actively helping staff take part by closing stores and offices, including Patagonia and Ben & Jerry's, whose sign on its central London shop on Wardour Street read: Gone striking. Because ya know, the planet.''

The Metropolitan Police said two adults had been arrested on The Strand in central London - where XR Universities, an Extinction Rebellion group, are holding a protest - in breach of an order dictating protesters must gather in a specific place in Westminster.

The protests come ahead of a climate summit at the UN next week convened by secretary-general Antonio Guterres to urge countries to up their climate efforts.

Much steeper measures are needed across the globe to prevent temperature rises of more than 1.5C (2.7F) or 2C (3.6F) to avoid the worst impacts of climate change.

As if to underline the urgency, as people took to the streets of the UK, the mercury climbed to well above what is normal for the time of year.

The UK Student Climate Network (UKSCN) said more than 200 events were taking place across the UK, with, for the first time, adults being encouraged to join the youngsters as they strike.

UKSCN wants politicians to bring in a Green New Deal to cut the UK's emissions to zero and improve lives, changes to education to equip youngsters to deal with the climate crisis, and votes at 16 to give them a voice.

Among the many trade unions throwing their weight behind the strikes are the TUC Congress, the University and College Union and Unite, while environmental campaigners, aid agencies and faith groups joined the protests.

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