Boris Johnson has struggled to explain himself when quizzed over his lack of face covering as he sat next to Sir David Attenborough.
The Prime Minister was snapped sitting next to the 95-year-old broadcaster as they listened to a speaker during the opening ceremony of the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow yesterday.
A picture showing the pair went viral on social media with several people criticising the PM for deciding not wear any form of mask.
Rules at the summit state that participants “must wear face coverings except when eating, drinking, sitting in office spaces/meetings, sitting to perform negotiations or are medically exempt.”
Similar rules on face coverings are also in place outside of the conference in Scotland as part of the Scottish Government’s Covid laws.
Johnson appeared confused when he was probed on the backlash during an interview with CNN.
He said: “I've been wearing a mask when in confined spaces with people I don’t normally meet…it’s up to people to take a judgement whether they’re at a reasonable distance from someone and whether they’re with someone they don’t normally meet.
“That’s the approach we take.”
Earlier today, Boris Johnson claimed that humanity has “pulled back a goal” against climate change as he expressed optimism over progress at COP26.
The Prime Minister hailed agreements on protecting rain forests, reducing methane output and transferring clean technology to developing nations.
Johnson is one of several world leaders to descend on Glasgow in recent days for the vital climate talks.
Many have described the event as the world’s last chance at averting a potential climate catastrophe.
Sir David Attenborough, who was appointed the People’s Advocate for COP26, called on leaders to a kickstart “a wonderful recovery” from global warming in an opening day speech on Monday.
He said: “The people living now, who are the generation to come, will look at this conference and consider one thing did that number stop rising and start to drop as a result of decisions made here?
"We have every reason to believe the answer can be yes. If working apart we are a force powerful enough to destabilise our planet, surely working together we are powerful enough to save it.
"In my lifetime I've witnessed a terrible decline. In yours, you could - and should - witness a wonderful recovery.
"That desperate hope is why the world is looking and why you are here."
