Rishi Sunak has been accused of having been “dragged kicking and screaming” to agree to attend the United Nation’s Cop27 summit, Labour has said.
The prime minister made a U-turn on Wednesday morning, stating that he would now go to the conference in Sharm el Sheikh, in Egypt, after previously saying he would not go.
Mr Sunak had said he would stay in the UK to focus on the new government’s upcoming budget.
However, his decision not to attend led to international outcry, while pressure in the UK grew as King Charles announced a Cop27 reception at Buckingham Palace ahead of the conference, and also after former prime minister Boris Johnson said he was planning to attend the summit.
In parliament, Labour’s Ed Miliband, the shadow secretary for climate change and net zero, attacked the government’s record.
He said: “We’re way off track from meeting our climate targets. The net zero strategy was ruled unlawful. The PM sacks the Cop president, and all this when the UN is telling us we are heading for 2.8C of Global warming.
“Isn’t it the case Mr Speaker, that this year began with a prime minister which made grand promises which haven’t been fulfilled, and ends with one who has to be dragged kicking and screaming even to turn up?”
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