Emily Clarkson takes aim at middle-aged men as her ex-Top Gear host father calls Greta Thunberg a ‘spoilt brat’

Former Top Gear Jeremy Clarkson has ripped into climate change advocate Greta Thunberg, putting him at odds with his daughter.

Jeremy Clarkson’s daughter Emily has blasted middle-aged men for criticising Greta Thunberg, as her dad labelled the activist a “spoilt brat”.

The 25-year-old writer praised Greta, 16, on Twitter this week, just a day before Jeremy made his feelings known in his The Sun column.

They’re far from the only dad and daughter to disagree about climate change, but we expect this one might spark a few family debates.

Emily Clarkson (left) and her father, Jeremy Clarkson. AFP

The tweet that showed the Clarkson family divide regarding the ‘ballsy’ Swedish teenager.

Emily, who also writes for The Sun, was replying to comedian John Bishop’s tweet championing Greta, in which he said she was “breathing life” into the debate surrounding climate change.

She wrote: “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”.

Emily followed her tweet with the upside down smiley face and a heart.

The tweet didn’t go unnoticed by Emily’s famous father.

Earlier this week, Greta spoke to the United Nations and accused them of ruining her childhood by not taking climate change seriously.

Although some were impressed by the speech, Jeremy, 59, labelled it a “full-on adolescent meltdown”.

The Grand Tour star hit back on behalf of his generation, writing: “How dare you sail to America on a carbon fibre yacht that you didn’t build which cost £15 million ($A27.2 million), that you didn’t earn, and which has a back-up diesel engine that you didn’t mention.

“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.”

Jeremy Clarkson repeated Greta Thunberg’s UN speech phrase “How dare you?” Picture: Kena Betancur/AFP

Emily’s initial tweet racked up more than 800 likes but some did spot the irony, with one lad commenting: “Looks like your father should be one of them”.

In his column, Jeremy acknowledged the seriousness of climate change, but said Greta could do far more by studying science at school than lecturing her elders.

He concluded: “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.”

This article originally appeared in The Sun and was reproduced with permission