Top Tory Therese Coffey appeared to commit multiple gaffes today as she defended Rishi Sunak ’s no-show at the COP27 climate talks despite a growing blue-on-blue war.
The Environment Secretary claimed the gathering in Egypt was “low key” and the “big political” summits only happen every five years, like Glasgow 2021.
She told Sky News: “I am not aware of, say, President Biden or President Macron or any of those other people will be there.”
But according to reports in the Washington Post and the BBC, the US President is planning to attend next month’s Egypt talks.
When Dr Coffey - who will attend the summit herself with other senior ministers - spoke to BBC Breakfast half an hour later, she dropped President Biden’s name from her claim.
Then, on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, she admitted: “I don’t know that Joe Biden ’s going or not.” The Mirror has contacted the government for clarification.
It came as anger mounted at the Prime Minister for dropping out of the talks - and removing climate minister Graham Stuart and COP26 President Alok Sharma from attending his Cabinet.
Meanwhile Dr Coffey today announced she will miss an October 31 deadline to introduce a string of planned environmental targets - including cutting the most harmful air pollution exposure by a third, and raising species populations 10% by 2042.
A consultation opened in March but today Dr Coffey told MPs: "In light of the volume of material and the significant public response we will not be able to publish targets by 31 October, as required by the Environment Act.
"However, I would like to reassure this House and all interested parties that we will continue to work at pace in order to lay draft statutory instruments as soon as practicable."
Shadow Environment Secretary Jim McMahon blasted 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.”
Dr Coffey made another gaffe when she claimed Rishi Sunak will be too busy - because Britain’s postponed financial statement will be “right in the middle of the COP summit”.
Despite her claim, the Egypt summit runs from November 6-18 and the Autumn Statement will be on November 17, right at the end.
The opening plenaries and “high-level segment” are due to take place on the first three days from November 6-8.
No10 confirmed Rishi Sunak would not attend the summit yesterday, insisting the new PM had to focus on domestic issues.
And former Business Secretary Jacob Rees Mogg - who was ousted this week - 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 even controversial Tory Nadine Dorries swiped: "For balance, my friend…The Prime Minister is WRONG not to go to COP.
"Global warming is the biggest crisis facing our planet and net zero creates many 1000s of jobs which is good for the economy. COP in Glasgow was most successful ever… but don’t expect media to report that."
Keir Starmer blasted the PM’s decision to snub the summit, saying: “Britain showing up to work with world leaders is an opportunity to grasp. Not an event to shun”.
Greenpeace UK’s Rebecca Newsom added: "For Rishi Sunak not to show up is like a runner failing to turn up with the baton at a crucial stage of the relay.
"Coming just after the ousting of Alok Sharma from the cabinet, this suggests that the new Prime Minister neither takes the climate crisis seriously enough, nor recognises the opportunities for Britain to take a leadership role in helping to solve it."
Dr Coffey said she was “not aware” that ex-PM Liz Truss ever advised King Charles not to attend COP27 - a claim Downing Street have denied before.
Dr Coffey told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “Normally the big political moments when you get heads of government and heads of state tend to happen every five years.”
Yet provisional documents show 70 countries had asked their “head of state or government” to give a statement at COP27 on November 7-8.
The list was last updated two weeks ago and is likely out of date. The UK and France are included on it and the US is not.
Dr Coffey said: “I don’t know that Joe Biden is going or not.
“I do know that the Prime Minister has just come into office.
“We postponed the medium term fiscal plan to a time in November that is right in the middle of the COP summit and I know the Prime Minister is keen to work with the Chancellor on focusing on that.”
She insisted the "big political" iterations of the summits only take place every five years, and “the big push happened last year in Glasgow”.
"The UK continues to show global leadership as opposed to just a gathering of people in Egypt," she told LBC radio.
