Boris Johnson lines up 'big hitter' for COP26 presidency with Michael Gove said to be in frame for key role

The Herald understands the Prime Minister decided Ms O’Neill was not suitable for the role as long ago as December with David Cameron and William Hague being approached but both turned down the role.

Asked why Mr Johnson waited the best part of two months to sack the former Environment Minister, a Downing St spokesman said: “We thank Claire for her role in COP. A replacement will be announced in due course.”

Stressing how the decision had been taken that the presidency should be a ministerial role, he noted: “The characteristics are it should be a heavy hitter and someone who can handle themselves on the international stage.”

When pressed on how the PM was going to sort out the COP26 shambles, he replied: “I’m not sure I agree with your assessment but we have got a successful summit going forward.

“COP26 is hugely ambitious; it will show Britain at its best. We’re proud COP26 will be in Glasgow. It will be extraordinary event. A large international summit in one of the UK’s greatest cities. It will be a shot in the arm for the Scottish economy,” he insisted.

While No 10 would not comment on any offer of the COP26 presidency made or not made to any individual, Mr Cameron confirmed he had been approached, saying: "It was an honour to be asked to do that job and I'm very grateful to have been asked but it's best in these situations, if you have a Government minister doing the job, you then have one line of command rather than, perhaps, two people doing the same thing."

The former PM, who stepped down following the Brexit referendum vote in 2016, pointed out he had "a lot of things I have already agreed to do this year, not least the work I do for Alzheimer's Research UK, so I thought it was important that I carried on with that work".

He added: "But I wish the Government well, I wish this climate change conference well, because it's absolutely vital.”

During PMQs, Jeremy Corbyn seized on the sacking of Ms O’Neill and her subsequent claim Mr Johnson had lacked ambition and leadership on the environmental crisis and did “not get” climate change.

The Labour leader asked: “Why is the Prime Minister failing so spectacularly to measure up to the scale of the climate crisis that this country and this planet are facing?”

The PM described Mr Corbyn’s question as “beyond satire,” stressing: “This is the first country, the first major economy in the world, to have set a target of being carbon neutral by 2050. It is an absolutely fantastic thing. We are leading the world in our ambitions and we will have a wonderful summit in Glasgow, one of the most fantastic cities in our country, at the end of the year.”

Highlighting Ms O’Neill’s suggestion that Mr Johnson could not be trusted, the Labour leader told MPs: “The Prime Minister’s failure in government means this country will not meet its net zero target until 2099. This Government have banned offshore wind and this Government is funding billions on fossil fuel projects abroad. Is this what his ex-minister means by the ‘absence of leadership?’”

The PM accused Mr Corbyn of a “grotesque failure” to understand what was happening in the economy, let alone in the fight against climate change, insisting Britain “leads the world” in green technology.

Later, Downing St was asked if Mr Johnson would respond to Nicola Sturgeon’s letter suggesting Roseanna Cunningham, the Scottish Government’s Environment Secretary, should be able to attend UK Cabinet meetings to underline the two administrations’ “joint commitment” to tackling climate change.

At a press briefing a No 10 spokesman pointed out the First Minister’s letter “arrived in press release form; we found out about it from you”.