David Lammy is quoted in another newspaper (OK, it’s the Daily Telegraph) as saying that “Climate change is a ‘more fundamental’ threat than terrorism.”

This is total bolleaux. Climate change doesn’t even make it into the top ten of threats to Britain. Here, in my considered opinion, are 10 that I think are more important.

Starting with a Biblical theme, I give you the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (New Testament, Book of Revelation):

And, without thinking too long or hard, here are some others I consider more important:

• Pestilence
• Plague
• Terrorism (international and domestic)
• Migration (legal and otherwise)
• Poverty
• Religion

I could go on, but you get the picture. Now, I’m not saying that climate change, or climate variation as I prefer to call it, does not contribute to some of these other threats in one way or another, but as a stand alone issue? I don’t think so.

A quick straw poll amongst my serving and ex-military colleagues suggests that Lammy is okay when reading from a script but not so okay when forced to think for himself. Here is a selection of (by necessity anonymised) quotes:

“Lammy seems out of his depth in his analysis and is putting out soundbites not substance as usual”.

“We have bigger issues to worry about other than making us dependent on other countries’ fossil fuels because we have closed all of ours down”.

“Lammy is good at reading what is out in front of him without knowing what he is talking about”.

“Is Russia worried about net zero? Are Hamas and those other terrorist organisations that seek to harm us?”

“Beyond asking whether Lammy himself is the existential threat facing the country I’m not sure I can be polite.”

“It’s becoming obvious that this Government is slaved to the World Economic Forum agenda and has a plan to make the majority worse off bar the nomenklatura and apparatchiks”.

Lammy’s comments on climate change are based on a veneer-thin knowledge of the subject matter and an unquestioning reliance on his all-too-woke briefers, who have swallowed wholesale the agenda of a small, vocal, but deluded group of climate activists. Think Just Stop Oil and Extinction Rebellion.

Is this what we expect of our Foreign Secretary? I think not. He needs to up his game.

Lt Col Stuart Crawford is a political and defence commentator and former army officer. Sign up for his podcasts and newsletters at www.DefenceReview.uk