Tuesday 4 October 2022 11:33 PM Cabinet minister urges Liz Truss to let King Charles attend Cop27 summit trends now

A Cabinet minister has urged Liz Truss to let King Charles attend the Cop27 summit in Egypt next month after the Prime Minister reportedly advised the monarch against going to the climate change conference. 

The under-fire Conservative leader has come under mounting pressure to say if she will visit the climate talks after it emerged that she had advised the King to stay away from the meeting of world leaders - and that his son the Prince of Wales would also not be going.

Now Alok Sharma, whose role as president of the Cop26 climate summit in Glasgow last year gives him a cabinet seat, pressed Miss Truss to attend the conference - and to rethink Charles III's presence.

Speaking from Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo, he said: 'This is absolutely an issue that transcends politics. This is ultimately about ensuring that we protect our planet for future generations.'

He added: 'I would certainly welcome the King's attendance at Cop27. I know that many people around the world see him as a leader in this area.'

The King was reportedly planning to make a speech at the meeting of world leaders in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, in November.

It comes amid growing suspicion that the Government is planning to water down or even abandon its target of 'net zero' carbon emissions by 2050. The Palace said advice had been sought by the King and was given by Miss Truss. 'With mutual friendship and respect there was agreement that the King would not attend,' the Palace said.

But the decision is likely to have disappointed the King, who as Prince of Wales had a long history of campaigning to reduce the effects of climate change. As heir to the throne he also had a reputation for interfering in government business, most recently expressing his distaste for the Government's plan to send illegal immigrants to Rwanda.