Rishi Sunak WILL attend COP27 after all
Prime minister Rishi Sunak has confirmed he will attend the COP27 conference in Egypt.
In a tweet sent this morning, he said he would be at the climate conference in Sharm El Sheikh, after much speculation as to whether he would travel.
Initially he said he wouldn’t because he needed to focus on domestic commitments, while former PM Boris Johnson and King Charles have also said they wanted to go.
In a tweet this morning, Sunak said “there is no long-term prosperity without action on climate change. There is no energy security without investing in renewables.”
“That is why I will attend COP27P next week: to deliver on Glasgow’s legacy of building a secure and sustainable future.”
The U-turn was criticised by Ed Miliband MP, Labour’s shadow climate change and net zero secretary, who said he had been “shamed into going by the torrent of disbelief that he would fail to turn up.”
Green Party MP Caroline Lucas said she was “glad to see Sunak’s screeching U-turn” while branding it “an embarrassing mis-step on the world stage.”
Over the past month, Just Stop Oil activists have caused mass disruption and caused thousands of pounds of criminal damage, targeting London businesses and landmarks in protest of the UK’s oil and gas policies.
Activists have sprayed orange paint on the Bank of England, Home Office, MI5, high-end car dealerships and more. Yesterday the group attempted to mount the gates of Downing Street.
Just Stop Oil announced on Tuesday it would temporarily pause its direct action to allow for policy makers to change their course, and in particular reverse their decision to grant 100 new oil and gas licences.
More to follow