Thoughts on Claire (Perry) O’Neill’s replacement as incoming President of this year's UN climate summit #COP26
It will be seen in some quarters as a disruption but I'm not sure it's a big one. Delivering a good outcome at COP26 needs a whole government effort across the year, led by PM @BorisJohnson, involving international-facing and UK-facing departments
The two key tasks for government are 1) do the international diplomacy well and 2) get the country demonstrably on track to its legally-binding #netzero target. First needs FCO, DfID and No10 - second needs Housing, Transport, BEIS, Treasury... and No10. At least
So it's really a question of co-ordination. Since Claire Perry's initial appointment there have been concerns that she didn't have ministerial rank. Her replacement will have, government says gov.uk/government/new…
While Claire Perry has a background in climate change, she doesn't in foreign affairs. Arguably that's more important - no doubt one of the real stars of the #ParisAgreement was Laurent Fabius, steeped in diplomacy but not, prior to 2015, in climate change
And if there's going to be a change, far better to make it now than later - as Denmark did in 2009, for example, sacking its lead negotiator about a month before the summit, with disastrous consequences
Big govt announcement still on for Tuesday. So I'm guessing we'll find out over the weekend who the replacement is. There are at least five names doing the rumour-round. Most but not all are serving MPs or Peers. Whoever it is, still needs whole govt to deliver
