BORIS Johnson and Nicola Sturgeon are locked in a "complete stand-off" over the COP26 climate summit as accusations from both sides flew over who was to blame for the toxic atmosphere.
Last night, the First Minister urged the Prime Minister to allow Scotland's Environment Secretary to take part in UK Cabinet meetings to demonstrate the two governments’ “joint commitment” on climate change.
Her move to have Roseanna Cunningham attend climate change meetings in Downing St came after an embarrassing row overshadowed the launch of the PM's green strategy for COP26 in Glasgow this November.
However, Whitehall sources accused Ms Sturgeon of trying to “hijack” the global event for political purposes and complained the Scottish Government had been "very difficult" and needed to become “better team players”.
In a letter to Mr Johnson, the FM insisted Ms Cunningham’s attendance at UK Cabinet meetings on climate change would “not only help with co-ordination, ensuring that any issues can be aired early and properly dealt with but would also demonstrate our joint commitment to and responsibility for delivering an event that is not only safe and secure but that lives up to the expectations of the world”.
Earlier on Tuesday, the PM's green strategy launch alongside leading naturalist Sir David Attenborough at London’s Science Museum was marred after a blistering intervention by Claire Perry O’Neill, who on Brexit Day was unceremoniously sacked as COP26 President in a phonecall.
Ms O’Neill launched a multiple attack in which she:
*claimed the PM did “not really get” climate change and had shown a “huge lack of leadership and engagement”;
*accused London and Edinburgh of being in a "complete stand-off" over COP26;
*accused Mr Johnson of “playground politics” after he “heartily and saltily rebutted” her idea of giving Ms Sturgeon a summit role;
*suggested the PM had considered moving the summit from Glasgow to a location in England because of rising costs;
*mentioned how the Scottish Government had been accused of “behaving disgracefully” by contracting buildings that should have been used by the UN-sponsored summit;
*claimed No 10 had engaged in “dark ops” against her and
*advised anyone to whom the PM had made promises to “get it in writing, get a lawyer to look at it and make sure the money is in the bank".
Downing St stonewalled when asked about Ms O’Neill’s claims, saying it had no comment “beyond saying the PM is grateful to Claire for her work preparing for what will be a very successful and ambitious climate change summit in November”.
Glasgow will host the UK’s largest ever summit when some 200 world leaders and 30,000 delegates gather in the hope of sealing an international agreement to cut carbon emissions.
However, a toxic political atmosphere has developed between London and Edinburgh over COP26.
The FM’s office blamed Mr Johnson for creating it. Her spokesman insisted that the PM had "set the tone" when he told Tory activists last year: “I guess I don’t mind seeing a Saltire or two on that summit but I want to see a Union flag; I don’t want to see Nicola Sturgeon anywhere near it.”
Saying the PM’s remarks were “deeply, deeply unfortunate,” Ms Sturgeon’s spokesman added: “It’s not the way we’re briefing…We’re getting on with the job of trying to ensure Glasgow, as a Scottish host city, hosts a successful summit.”
But senior UK Government insiders had a different take.
One accused the FM and her colleagues of trying to “hijack COP26 for narrow party political purposes as part of their campaign for independence” while another claimed the Scottish Government had “thus far, not proved themselves to be easy or collaborative partners”.
It was claimed that after London had privately told Edinburgh about how COP26 had been secured for the UK, the Scottish Government put out a "pre-emptive press release," suggesting it had been responsible.
One bone of contention has been how the Scottish Government chartered the Glasgow Science Museum as its COP26 pavilion; it insisted it had provisionally agreed the site as far back as October. But the UK Government has called on it to give up the venue to the summit as it is within the security zone.
Noting how there was “zero chance” of the summit being moved to England, a UK Government source added: “We are determined to deliver COP26 in Glasgow, which is a fantastic venue, but the Scottish Government’s approach has caused serious concerns. They must become better team players.”
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