SUNAK OPENS DOOR TO COP27 U-TURN

HE’LL GO IF HE CAN FIND TIME, SAYS MINISTER

- Nicholas Cecil

RISHI SUNAK will fly to the COP27 global warming summit in Egypt if he can find time in his hectic schedule, a minister said today.

Food minister Mark Spencer made clear the Prime Minister now wants to attend the gathering of world leaders in the Red Sea resort of Sharm El Sheikh. They are expected to include US president Joe Biden and French president Emmanuel Macron. Only days ago, Mr Sunak said he was planning not to go and would stay in Britain to deal with “domestic challenges”, including the economic crisis, ahead of the Autumn Statement on November 17.

But Mr Spencer told BBC Breakfast: “I’m sure if his diary allows he would want to go, but at this moment in time we don’t quite know whether he’s going to have time to do that.

“But rest assured there will be serious ministers out there and big hitters because the UK is very keen to play its part in dealing with the challenges we face in the environment globally.”