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Outrage as Conservative climate minister ordered to make 6,800-mile round trip from Dubai for Rwanda vote

The Government’s climate minister will make a 6,800-mile round trip from a climate summit in Dubai just to make a vote on the Rwanda bill. Graham Stuart, who is leading the No10’s negotiating team at the climate summit COP28 in Dubai, was ordered to return to the UK to vote. It is a sign of the perilous situation the Government finds itself in that it needs to muster as much support as possible.

The vote takes place today (December 12) with the Conservative party[1] split and Prime Minister facing a revolt. However, the move has sparked fury from environmental groups, the Mirror[2] reports – especially given Mr Stuart is at a climate summit aimed at reducing carbon emissions and which has been criticised for not doing enough. Oxfam blasted: “There can be no more tragic outcome for UK climate diplomacy than this – flying home from talks to avert a climate catastrophe at the most critical moment in an attempt to salvage a cruel and impractical policy.” ActionAid UK also described Mr Stuart’s hasty departure as a “slap in the face” to countries urging the world’s largest polluters to act.

The charity added: “In a shocking betrayal of trust as COP wraps up, the Prime Minister seems happier to fight the culture wars and not climate change.” Labour’s Shadow Climate and Net Zero Secretary Ed Miliband added: “The sad truth is that, thanks to Rishi Sunak tanking Britain’s reputation on the world stage, many countries simply won’t even notice that his minister has disappeared. Graham Stuart flying home in the middle of negotiations tells you everything you need to know about the Tories.”

Asked about the carbon emissions from the flights, the PM’s official spokesman told reporters: “This Government is not anti-flying.

We don’t lecture the public in that regard. “The most important thing is the outcomes of COP, which Minister Stuart is obviously leading for the UK on.”

References

  1. ^ Conservative party (www.walesonline.co.uk)
  2. ^ the Mirror (www.mirror.co.uk)