Lib Dems warn Starmer not attending climate summit would be “rank hypocrisy”

EMBARGO: Immediate Release

The Liberal Democrats have warned that it would be “rank hypocrisy” if Keir Starmer doesn’t attend the COP30 climate summit in Brazil in November.

The Financial Times reported this morning that Keir Starmer currently has no plans to go to the COP summit.

It comes despite Keir Starmer criticising Rishi Sunak for showing an “absolute failure of leadership” for failing to attend the climate summit in 2022, words that the Liberal Democrats have now thrown back at him.

Liberal Democrat Energy and Climate spokesperson, Pippa Heylings MP said:

“If Keir Starmer refuses to attend this summit it would be an absolute failure of leadership.

“Starmer rightly condemned Rishi Sunak for failing to show up to the global climate summit three years ago, it would be rank hypocrisy if he now failed to turn up himself.

“At a time when Donald Trump is taking a wrecking ball to global climate action, Britain’s Prime Minister should be leading from the front, not missing in action.”

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

Financial Times report can be found here.

Keir Starmer’s comments from 2023 can be found here.