A FORMER Tory MP who lost his seat at the General Election and was then granted a life peerage could chair the COP26 conference in Glasgow, reports suggest.
Despite Zac Goldsmith's Richmond Park constituency electing a LibDem MP at the December vote, the 45-year-old was made a Tory peer by Prime Minister Boris Johnson. He therefore kept his Cabinet role as Environment Minister.
Now, amid today's Cabinet reshuffle, there have been suggestions that the unelected Tory may be appointed chair of the UN COP26 climate conference, due to be held in Glasgow in November.
Former energy minister Claire Perry O'Neill had been made chair of the event but was sacked by Johnson's adviser Dominic Cummings recently, just six months into her role.
READ MORE: Tories threaten to take COP26 away from Glasgow
O'Neill hit out at the Government over the move, suggesting Johnson was endangering the success of the conference over his personal animosity towards Nicola Sturgeon.
O'Neill also warned climate priorities the Government set for itself are "not close to being met".
Speaking after her removal from the post, a Cabinet Office minister said: "Preparations will continue at pace for the summit, and a replacement will be confirmed shortly. Going forward, this will be a ministerial role.”
The November summit is expected to see the most important climate negotiations since 2015's Paris agreement.
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