‘Important’ COP26 role for Sturgeon

NICOLA Sturgeon will play an ‘important part’ at the COP26 climate change summit, the UK Government has confirmed.

The event’s president, Alok Sharma, played down claims Boris Johnson tried to cut the First Minister out of participating.

Mr Sharma told MSPs yesterday the devolved nations would have a central role alongside the UK Government, with a ‘whole-of-the-UK approach’.

He was being questioned by Holyrood’s net zero committee six weeks before world leaders arrive for the UN summit in Glasgow, which is being officially hosted by the UK Government.

Last month, reports suggested advisers to Mr Johnson had sought to sideline Miss Sturgeon amid fears she would use the event to push for Scottish independence.

Yesterday, Mr Sharma insisted the SNP leader would be involved in the official UK delegation. Asked if she would have a role, Mr Sharma said: ‘Prime Minister Johnson has said he wants all the First Ministers to play an important part.’

COP26 will be held as discussions over controversial proposals for a new oil field off Shetland continue.

MSP Monica Lennon asked Mr Sharma if licences for the field would be reassessed by the UK Government, as it is a reserved matter, amid the climate crisis. He would only say the issue is ‘domestic policy’.