A Tory spat erupted today over Rishi Sunak’s climate summit no-show - as fresh evidence emerged of his “dereliction of duty”.
Gaffe-prone Therese Coffey defended the PM’s snub of Egypt’s COP27 talks by claiming they were “low key”, and “big political” moments only come every five years.
But scores of world leaders are tipped to speak including Joe Biden - despite the Environment Secretary saying she was “not aware” he would go.
Jacob Rees Mogg - who was due to attend before he was dumped as Business Secretary - tweeted: “The cost of living won’t be solved in Sharm el Sheikh where each hotel room for the conference is £2,000 a night.”
But fellow right-winger Nadine Dorries swiped back: "For balance, my friend… The Prime Minister is WRONG not to go to COP.
“Global warming is the biggest crisis facing our planet.”
COP26 President Alok Sharma - whose Cabinet seat was axed by the new PM - said he was “disappointed” Mr Sunak would not attend.
Mr Sharma insisted the UK would be represented “in force” at the summit, including by himself and Dr Coffey.
But in a major intervention tonight, Mr Sharma warned the PM “we ought to be going further” and raising more money from oil and gas profits.
It came as the Tory government was accused of a "monumental dereliction of duty" after missing an October 31 legal deadline to introduce a string of green targets.
They included cleaning up water courses, cutting the most harmful air pollution exposure by a third, and raising species populations 10% by 2042.
A consultation opened in March but after 180,000 responses, Dr Coffey told MPs: "we will not be able to publish targets” in time. She said laws would be laid “as soon as practicable”.
The Environment Department later issued a further statement in her name saying: “I was part of the ministerial team that created the 25 Year Environment Plan and prepared the Environment Bill presented to Parliament in 2019. Defra will continue to work at pace to finalise these environmental targets.”
Shadow Environment Secretary Jim McMahon said it was a “huge embarrassment and deeply worrying for the UK’s environment.
“Failing to meet the legal deadline to introduce targets to ensure we have clean air land and water amounts to a monumental dereliction of duty."
No10 today admitted it "provided" advice under Liz Truss that King Charles should not go to COP27.
But Downing Street insisted the Palace had asked for the advice and it was "unanimously agreed".
Environment Secretary Dr Coffey claimed the PM could not attend because the Autumn Statement is “right in the middle of the COP summit”.
Yet the leaders’ sessions are November 6-8 and the Autumn Statement is only on November 17.
Keir Starmer blasted Rishi Sunak ’s “absolute failure of leadership” and said “if I was Prime Minister I would be going” to COP27.
Labour ’s leader said: “This is a hugely important issue, climate change, it’s wound together with the energy crisis.”
He added people who can’t pay their energy bills “expect their Prime Minister to be on the world stage sorting these issues out.”
Mr Sunak denied his absence at COP27 was a failure, saying the “leadership we have shown on the climate is unmatched almost along the world."
Speaking during a visit to a hospital in south London, he added: "It's important to me that as Prime Minister we leave behind an environment that is better for our children and grandchildren.
“I’m very passionate about that. I'm very personally committed to it.
"I just think, at the moment, it's right that I'm also focusing on the depressing domestic challenges we have with the economy.”
