RISHI Sunak could still head to COP27 in Egypt, Downing Street has said.
The Prime Minister said he was snubbing the climate summit in Sharm El-Sheikh to concentrate on next month's budget statement.
Labour described it as a “massive failure of leadership," while Alok Sharma, the Tory MP who was the president of last year’s Cop26 summit in Glasgow, said he was "pretty disappointed that the prime minister is not going."
During Monday's press briefing, the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said the decision was being kept “under review”.
“As we’ve said, the Prime Minister is focused on pressing domestic issues, most significantly preparing for the autumn statement, so any attendance at COP would depend on progress on preparation for that fiscal event, and that work is ongoing,” he said.
“The Prime Minister fully recognises the importance of the COP summit and is fully committed to addressing climate change.”
Asked if the Prime Minister now wants to go if sufficient progress is made on matters at home, the spokesman said: “I think the Prime Minister set out that the public would rightly want him to focus on the domestic issues, particularly on restoring fiscal credibility and delivering on a budget that works for the British people.
“There is substantial progress being made on that, and so we are keeping the position on Cop under review at the moment.”
Last week the UN warned that the world's continued high emissions of greenhouse gases would lead to catstrophic climate changes.
Despite countries promising in Glasgow to aim for no more than a 1.5C rise in temperatures above pre-industrial levels, the projection is still 2.5C.
The UN's Secretary General António Guterres warned countries against putting "climate change on the back burner."
He said. "If we are not able to reverse the present trend, we will be doomed."
"Bring back climate change to the centre of the international debate," he urged.
He said he would like to see have seen both Mr Sunak and The King attending the conference.
Although Ms Truss was heading to the summit, she reportedly told the monarch to stay away.
The Palace said advice had been sought by the King and given by Ms Truss.
"With mutual friendship and respect there was agreement that the King would not attend," the Palace stated.
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