If you believe the gloomsters, the icecaps are melting, forests are going up in flames, islands are sinking into the sea, large parts of the world will shortly become uninhabitable and wars will break out over the diminishing supply of clean water. Who in their right mind would want to bring a child into this hellscape? In July, Morgan Stanley issued a note to investors saying the ‘movement not to have children owing to fears over climate change is growing and impacting fertility rates quicker than any preceding trend in the field of fertility decline’.

You won’t get far trying to persuade progressive young people that the ‘climate emergency’ is a teensy–weensy bit exaggerated. Point out that Antarctica has just recorded its coldest six months on record, and they will accuse you of being a ‘denier’. In their eyes, you’re comparable to someone who disputes the reality of the Holocaust: an impression confirmed if they discover you’ve been selfish enough to have four children.

What can we do about this disastrous new trend? The social cost of a fall in the UK population will be astronomical. We already have an ageing population, with the number of over-65s increasing by 23 per cent between 2009 and 2019, and this demographic is projected to grow from 12.3 million today to 17.4 million in 2043. How will we pay for their healthcare if the tax base continues to shrink? Boris’s solution is to cap each individual’s contribution at £86,000, but who’s going to make up the shortfall if the tax-paying classes stop having children?