Boris Johnson has been accused of “staggering hypocrisy” after it emerged that he flew back to London from the Cop26 climate summit in Glasgow by private jet to go to a dinner at a men-only private members’ club.
The prime minister is reported to have attended the exclusive private members’ club The Garrick in the West End for a reunion of Daily Telegraph journalists. He flew 400 miles on Tuesday night from Glasgow to London, according to the Daily Mirror.
A spokesperson for No 10 said the journey, which alternatively can be done in four and a half hours by train, was taken with consideration of “time restraints”.
Anneliese Dodds, the Labour party chair, said: “This is staggering hypocrisy from the prime minister. After warning world leaders it’s one minute to midnight to prevent climate catastrophe, Boris Johnson clocked off from Cop26, jumped in his private jet and flew down to London for dinner at a gentleman’s club with a self-confessed climate change sceptic.
“It seems that when it comes to taking action to tackle the climate crisis, there’s one rule for the Conservatives and another rule for the rest of the world.”
Pictures obtained by the Mirror show the PM leaving the club at about 10pm alongside Charles Moore, a former editor of the Daily Telegraph who has written sceptically in the past about the climate emergency and was recently handed a life peerage by Johnson.
A No 10 spokesperson said: “All travel decisions are made with consideration for security and time restraints. The prime minister returned on Tuesday night from four days of engagements in Rome and Glasgow, ahead of updating parliament on the important commitments secured both at the G20 and Cop26.
“The prime minister travelled on one of the most carbon-efficient planes of its size in the world, using the most sustainable aviation fuel possible. The UK will be offsetting all carbon emissions associated with running Cop26, including travel.”
Lord Moore declined to comment to the Mirror.
