BORIS Johnson has suffered another blow to his ambitions for the COP26 climate summit after David Cameron turned down his offer to head the UK's preparations for the global event in Glasgow.
The current PM reportedly asked his predecessor to be the President of the United Nations Climate Change Conference but was rebuffed.
It is also suggested former Tory leader William Hague was also sounded out for the presidency but he too did not want the job.
The disclosures come after Mr Johnson refused to answer questions about who would take on the job during the event's launch on Tuesday following the blistering attack on his leadership from Claire Perry O’Neill, who was sacked as the COP26 President on Brexit Day.
READ MORE: Iain Macwhirter: Johnson has been more Jekyll than Hyde, but that will change
The former Clean Growth Minister, who stood down as a Tory MP at the General Election, was dismissed from her role by the PM's special adviser, Dominic Cummings, in a phone call on Friday.
Ms O’Neill accused Mr Johnson of “not getting” climate change, showing a huge lack of leadership and ambition and engaging in “playground politics” in his dealings with Nicola Sturgeon.
The Government has said the post will be a ministerial role in future.
The UN climate talks, to be held in Glasgow in November, are the most important since the Paris Agreement to curb global warming was secured in 2015.
Countries are expected to deliver more ambitious domestic plans for cutting greenhouse gases by 2030, as current proposals are not enough to prevent dangerous temperature rises.
Pressure is also on countries to set out long-term plans for cutting emissions, with the science now clear that the world must reduce greenhouse gases to zero in a matter of decades to avoid the worst impacts of climate change.
READ MORE: Nicola Sturgeon and Boris Johnson locked in 'complete stand-off' over COP26 amid toxic atmosphere
The run-up to the talks will require a major diplomatic effort from the UK to secure ambitious climate action from countries - at a time when Britain is also negotiating trade agreements with the EU and other nations.
Lord Barker of Battle, who served as an energy and climate change minister under Mr Cameron, said he understood the reports to be correct.
"My understanding is that he felt it was just a little too soon for him personally to come back into a frontline political role," he told BBC Two's Newsnight.
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