Sunak 'could attend' COP27

PM considers U-turn as Britain faces criticism for planning not to take part

Britain's Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is reportedly considering a U-turn on his decision not to attend the United Nations COP27 climate summit in Egypt after criticism from political opponents and members of his own Conservative Party.

Having only entered Downing Street a week ago, the former chancellor of the exchequer has inherited a huge task to restore economic stability, following the short but unsuccessful reign of predecessor Liz Truss.

Last week, a spokesperson said Sunak was not expected to attend the gathering, which comes a year after the United Kingdom hosted the COVID-delayed COP26 in Scotland, "due to other pressing domestic commitments including preparations for the autumn Budget".

King Charles III, the country's new monarch, was believed to be keen to attend but was told by Truss that he should not, a position backed up by Sunak, but with so many world leaders going, there has been heavy criticism of the fact Britain will not have a high-ranking presence.

Conservative member of Parliament Alok Sharma, who was the UK's president of COP26, will hand over the presidency to Egypt at the summit, which takes place in Sharm el-Sheik from Nov 6 to 18.

He told The Times newspaper he was "pretty disappointed" Sunak was not planning to attend.

He said: "Going to COP27 would allow for engagement with other world leaders. And I think it does send a signal — if the prime minister was to go — about our renewed commitment on this issue."

Keir Starmer, leader of the opposition Labour Party, accused Sunak of a "failure of leadership", and Rebecca Newsom, head of politics at environmental organization Greenpeace, said his not attending the handover of the COP presidency "is like a runner failing to turn up with the baton at a crucial stage of the relay".

But now the BBC and Daily Mirror newspaper report that Sunak may be having a change of heart.

Environment Minister Mark Spencer told BBC Breakfast that the new prime minister had "a huge inbox" of challenges to deal with, but did not completely rule out that he might make an appearance. "I'm sure if his diary allows he would want to go but at this moment in time don't quite know if he's going to be have time to do that," he said.

Following his instruction not to attend, Charles has arranged a gathering of what Buckingham Place said would be more than 200 "international business leaders, decision makers and NGOs "on Nov 4, to mark the end of the British COP presidency.

Another thing that may have a bearing on the likelihood of Sunak's presence is the suggestion that former prime minister Boris Johnson may attend.

Sunak was chancellor of the exchequer under Johnson, but when he quit his position in July, saying in his resignation letter "it has become clear to me that our approaches are fundamentally too different… I have reluctantly come to the conclusion that we cannot continue like this", it was one of the biggest contributory factors to the ending of Johnson's term of office, before he stepped down.