In a sort of TV version of nuclear fusion, Channel 4 has combined the formidable forces of some of its biggest stars to blast the government into acting on climate change.

Mary ‘Queen of Shops’ Portas, Kevin McCloud and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall pulled no punches in The Great Climate Fight (21 November, 9.15pm).

“They are completely and utterly gaslighting us. We have a lying government,” Portas bristled. “The problem is our politicians,” McCloud added.

Infuriatingly for the trio, a plan for massively reducing emissions already exists: the government’s own Sixth Carbon Budget report.

Is it being considered or followed? Of course not. “There’s a problem at the top,” McCloud concluded.

Fearnley-Whittingstall visited a community in Shropshire who want to install a wind turbine so the local school can save on energy bills. The plans were effectively banned by rule changes led by David Cameron, a political fossil now fuelling the Conservatives’ shaky survival.

The trio got mischievous and “not strictly legal” – door-stepping CEOs at lobbying lunches, delivering reports to No 10 disguised as Jilly Cooper novels and flyposting.

The programme pointed out some of the worst offending business sectors. Happily grocery was not one, given it is generally well ahead of stuck-in-the-mud ministers on issues that matter to consumers.

An excellent job was done in clearly calling out just who is blocking the UK’s path to a greener future.

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