Britain’s Net Zero minister flies 7,000 miles from the Cop28 climate summit and back again just to vote on Rishi Sunak’s Rwanda Bill
- Graham Stuart, the Net Zero minister made the round trip to London and back
- Campaigners accused Stuart of going ‘awol’ as talks reached the crunch stage
The UK’s Net Zero minister was last summoned home from the Cop28 climate conference in Dubai to vote on the Rwanda Bill – before heading back out to the Middle East.
Graham Stuart made the 7,000-mile round trip to London and back to support the Government after fears that rebel MPs could vote it down – so every vote in favour was crucial.
Members of the International Development Committee, meanwhile, had been due to travel to the Caribbean but had to cancel it in order to cast their ballots.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer also moved a speech that was supposed to take place in a Red Wall seat in the North yesterday to a venue closer to London.
Campaigners accused Mr Stuart of going ‘awol’ just as environmental talks in the UAE reached the crunch stage and called it a ‘dereliction’ of leadership.
The summit was in deadlock last night after the deadline passed for the final agreement to limit global warming to 1.5c, raising fears the meeting could conclude before Mr Stuart’s return.
There were also questions about the environmental impact of the minister flying back to then return to Cop again following estimates that a one-way flight would emit between 3.1 and 3.8 tonnes of carbon dioxide.
Graham Stuart (pictured) made the 7,000-mile round trip to London and back
The UK’s Net Zero minister was last summoned home from the Cop28 climate conference in Dubai (pictured) to vote on the Rwanda Bill – before heading back out to the Middle East
Climate activists attend a protest against fossil fuels during the United Nations Climate Change Conference COP28 in Dubai today
Asked about the carbon emissions from the flights, the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: ‘This Government is not anti-flying.
‘We don’t lecture the public to that regard. The most important thing is the outcomes of Cop, which minister Stuart is obviously leading for the UK on.’
Criticism was levelled at the Government in the early stages of Cop28 as King Charles, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron flew to Dubai in separate private jets.
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Secretary of State for Net Zero Claire Coutinho had left the conference in the early stages, placing Mr Stuart in charge of the UK delegation.
The UK hosted the Cop26 summit in Glasgow and has attempted to position itself as a leader in the climate talks.
Mr Stuart’s departure provoked fury from campaigners.
Friends of the Earth’s international climate campaigner Rachel Kennerley said: ‘It’s astounding that the minister responsible for delivering climate action is deserting Cop28 with crucial negotiations hanging in the balance.’
Rebecca Newsom, head of politics at Greenpeace UK, said: ‘This is an outrageous dereliction of leadership at the most critical point during this conference.’
A Government spokesman said: ‘Minister Stuart has returned to the UK to attend Parliament in his role as an MP.
‘There will continue to be full official representation on the ground at the summit, including by Lord Benyon at ministerial level.
‘Minister Stuart will continue to be the lead UK minister for negotiations and remains in constant contact with the UK lead climate negotiator and Lord Benyon, with any final decisions agreed with him.’
Mr Stuart wasn’t the only MP to be recalled to participate in the vote. The Government imposed a three-line whip, ordering MPs to cancel foreign trips.
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