COP21: Dame Vivienne Westwood brands politicians 'crazed criminal idiots' ahead of climate change talks

The designer marched with 50,000 others in London on Sunday

Dame Vivienne Westwood has branded politicians “absolute criminal idiots” for their failure to tackle climate change.

The fashion designer made the comments at the 50,000 strong climate change march in London on Sunday. The rally was just one of many being held across the world to mark the UN Climate Conference, COP21 which commenced today in Paris.

Dame Vivienne has long raised the issue of climate change and is fiercely outspoken when it comes to environmental issues.

Speaking to reporters, she said: “This [the march and summit] are just the beginning but it's got to be an end because we’ve got to achieve the end. We’ve got to achieve safety, we’ve got to achieve the world. At the moment it’s heading fast for collapse because it’s the politicians they’re absolute criminals and, what’s more, they’re idiots.

“They’re crazed criminal idiots.”

Dame Vivienne is known for her environmental activism. In 2011, she told The Independent she was “traumatised by the problem of climate change” and in 2014 famously cut off all her hair to show “we must all wake up to Climate Change”.

Earlier this year she drove a tank to David Cameron's constituency house to protest against fracking.

The 74-year-old, who said there is “no choice” between a green economy and “mass extinction”, was joined at the march by other notable figures such as Emma Thompson and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.

Thompson placed faith in COP21 producing change but sent a warning to politicians if they fail to do so by referring to one of her popular films.

“Make it count or I’m coming for you with my Nanny McPhee stick.”

Corbyn told the crowd COP21 was an “enormous opportunity” to tackle environmental issues.

Additional reporting by the Press Association.