Tory tells Sir David Attenborough to commit euthanasia

A Tory councillor created a Twitter storm by suggesting that Sir David Attenborough should commit euthanasia. Phil Taylor, a councillor in Ealing, west London, posted his comment yesterday after the 87-year-old naturalist, who was educated in Leicester, said overpopulation often made sending aid to Africa futile. Mr Taylor tweeted: "I do wish this silly old fart would take a one-way trip to Switzerland. Practise what you preach."

I do wish this silly old fart would take a one-way trip to Switzerland. Practice what you preach. http://t.co/1LCknRROJH

— Phil Taylor (@philjvtaylor) September 18, 2013

Mr Taylor was referring to the Dignitas clinic outside Zurich - well known for those wishing to commit assisted suicide. Angry people took to Twitter to criticise the councillor for his comment. Today Sir David said he was unaware of the matter. He said: "I don't know what you are talking about. "I haven't heard anything about this." Julian Bell, Labour leader of Ealing Council, responded to Mr Taylor, tweeting: "You can agree or disagree with Sir David but your comments are shocking and disgraceful! Apologise or resign!" Photographer Jane Salisbury posted: "What a horrible thing to say. Unnecessary." Sir David is patron of Population Matters – a charity which believes action needs to be taken to cut the number of people in our crowded world. In an interview with a national newspaper, he said population control was a "huge area of concern", adding that the world was "heading for disaster unless we do something". Giving the example of famines in Ethiopia, he said: "They're about too many people for a too-little piece of land. We say, 'get the United Nations to send them bags of flour'. That's barmy." The broadcaster also claimed that it was irresponsible to have a large family in today's overcrowded world and said humans were a "plague on the Earth". After posting the tweet, Mr Taylor said he did not mean to offend Sir David. He said: "I have created a bit of a storm with a comment I made on Twitter about David Attenborough. "It was an off the cuff, ironic comment and I didn't set out to make anyone miserable. "If David Attenborough is unhappy I am sorry. I don't suppose he expects to comment on such contentious topics as population control and not get a strong response. "The background to this is that David Attenborough has for many years been a patron of the Optimum Population Trust which now calls itself Population Matters. "My tweet reflected my frustration with Attenborough repeatedly using his "national treasure" status to promote a set of views that see people as being a problem. His prescriptions seem always to apply to other people. "My view of the world is that we have to work out how to make sure that the 9 billion people who will populate the world by 2050 all have a good life. "They all have hopes and dreams and don't need to be told what to do by Attenborough and his organisation. "I won't be discussing this incident any more."