Rishi Sunak has been accused of a “major failure of leadership” after withdrawing from the Cop27 climate summit in Egypt next month.
Liztruth was due to attend the UN climate conference in Sharm el-Sheikh, but Downing Street said on Thursday that Mr Sunak would instead focus on “driving domestic commitments”.
The 10th also confirmed the downgrade of the environment minister post, as Graham Stewart was re-appointed to the post but stripped of his right to serve in the cabinet.
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Labour’s shadow climate change minister Ed Miliband said: “This is a colossal failure of climate leadership. We were the hosts of Cop26 and now the UK Prime Minister doesn’t even bother to attend Cop27.
“What Rishi Sunak clearly doesn’t understand is that tackling the climate crisis is not just about our reputation and standing abroad, but also about the opportunities it can offer at home to lower bills, jobs and energy security.”
Greens MP Caroline Lucas said “shame” on Mr Sunak, adding: “The first test of leadership is to show up.
“The new Prime Minister’s decision not to take part in Cop27 is a mockery of any government’s claims of continued climate leadership – a shameful way to end the UK COP presidency.”
Rebecca Newsom, head of politics at Greenpeace UK, said the move showed Mr Sunak was “not serious enough” about climate change.
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“The UK government should hand over the COP presidency to its Egyptian counterpart at the summit next month. For Rishi Sunak, not showing up is like a runner not taking the baton at a critical stage of the relay,” she added Say.
A Downing Street spokeswoman said Mr Sunak was focusing on domestic issues, including preparing the autumn budget, which has been delayed from Monday to November 17.
“The prime minister is not expected to attend Cop27 due to other urgent domestic commitments, including preparations for the autumn budget,” she told reporters.
She said the UK would be “fully represented” by Cop26 chairman Alok Sharma and “other senior ministers”, who also lost his seat in Sunak’s cabinet this week.
“We remain committed to net-zero emissions and to lead international and domestic action on climate change. The UK is ahead of many other countries in net-zero emissions,” she said.
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“We will obviously continue to work closely with Egypt as the host of Cop27 and to ensure that all countries make progress on their historic commitments under the Glasgow Climate Pact.”
Downing Street insists the prime minister remains “absolutely committed” to backing last year’s climate conference in Glasgow, denying he is downplaying the importance of tackling the climate crisis.
Government minister Baroness Neville-Rolfe told the House of Lords that the king was not barred from attending the summit after announcing he would not attend the summit following a meeting with Ms Truss.
Mrs Neville-Rolfe said: “There’s no ban. It’s a Palace thing.”
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Sam Blewett and Dominic McGrath are PA political staff.
