The UK’s minister for climate will make a 6,313-mile round trip to take part in the government’s crunch vote on Rwanda, Number 10 has confirmed.
Graham Stuart has been in Dubai for the COP28 summit, where leaders from around the world have been discussing the best ways to tackle the climate crisis.
But key talks have stalled over commitments to phase out fossil fuels, with negotiations carrying on through the night to try and find agreement between different nations.
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Despite the critical moment playing out in the UAE – and Mr Stuart having previously persuaded the COP presidency to allow the UK to have a more significant role in the talks – the minister will leave the summit to head to the Commons for the vote on Tuesday evening, then quickly head back to Dubai.
NGOs (non-governmental organisations) at COP have accused the UK of going “AWOL” at a key time, claiming the British government had let millions of people down.
Confirming the decision to summon Mr Stuart, the prime minister’s official spokesman said: “Ministers have a number of roles, the negotiations continue and he will return to COP.”
The return flight is the equivalent of travelling from London to Edinburgh and back 10 times, and will emit around two tonnes of CO2, according to environmental charity Treedom.
Asked about the carbon emissions from the flights, the spokesman added: “This government is not anti-flying.
“We don’t lecture the public to that regard. The most important thing is the outcomes of COP, which minister Stuart is obviously leading for the UK on.”
The decision by Downing Street to make Mr Stuart return to Westminster shows the nervousness around tonight’s vote on the government’s Rwanda bill.
The new law is Rishi Sunak’s attempt to revive the scheme, ruled unlawful by the Supreme Court, that would see asylum seekers arriving by small boat crossings deported to the African nation.
But while the prime minister insists it will deliver on his pledge to “stop the boats”, backbenchers on the right of the party believe it doesn’t go far enough and could kill it off by voting it down – or abstaining – in the Commons tonight.
However, if Mr Sunak concedes to their demands – ignoring more international human right treaties and limiting appeals by asylum seekers even further – those in the One Nation caucus could vote against the legislation further down the line.
The return of Mr Stuart was the subject of ridicule from shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper as the debate began on Mr Sunak’s bill.
She told MPs: “The climate minister called back from the Dubai COP before the vote?
“Well, I guess they can say at least one flight has taken off as a result of this legislation.”
Rwanda vote live – watch a special two-hour edition of Politics Hub with Sophy Ridge from 7pm on Sky News and follow live online.