Environmental groups on Tuesday slammed the UK government after its climate minister jetted back from the final stages of talks at the COP28 conference in Dubai to vote on a crunch immigration bill.
Graham Stuart left the critical late stages of talks to vote for the government’s plan to send migrants to Rwanda, with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak facing rebellion within his Conservative party.
Defeat for Sunak would weaken his leadership, plunging it into crisis just as he tried to shore up flagging support before an expected general election next year.
Stuart will head back to Dubai, the government said, but environmental groups took aim at his return trip — and the message it sends.
“The UK has played a productive role in the talks so far but leaving early is simply shameful. Time and again, wealthy countries have let down low-income countries,” said Francesca Rhodes, senior climate and gender policy adviser for CARE International UK.
Oxfam’s senior climate change policy advisor, Chiara Liguori, added: “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.”
The UK government insisted that “there will continue to be full official representation on the ground at the summit, including by Lord (Richard) Benyon at ministerial level.”
Benyon is a joint junior minister for climate, environment and energy at the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office and environment ministry, and a member of the upper House of Lords.
Stuart will continue to be the lead UK minister for negotiations, with any final decisions agreed with him, added the government spokesperson.
