Rishi Sunak not attending Cop27 is ‘standard practice’, says Therese Coffey

Environment secretary Therese Coffey has defended Rishi Sunak’s decision to skip the critical Cop27 climate summit, by pointing out that it is “standard practice” for “big political” gatherings to take place every five years.

The prime minister has been criticised for the move, as well as stripping climate minister Graham Stuart and Cop26 president Alok Sharma of their Cabinet seats.

Ms Coffey added that she was not aware that other world leaders such as Joe Biden or Emmanuel Macron would be attending the summit in her defence.

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