Johnson resigns from coalition government after accusing Sunak of being “hostile” to the environment | UK

Within 24 hours of being identified as one of the Conservative members of the British Parliament, Boris Johnson’s party scandal at government headquarters during the democratic fairness of the parliamentary committee’s inquiry into “coordinated campaign interference” and “call into question” conduct, Jack Goldsmith this Friday in Rishi Sunak’s Executive. He resigned from

Considered a supporter and defender of the former prime minister – and strongly criticized the results of the Privileges Commission inquiry, which certified that Johnson had “deliberately deceived” Parliament.Particate” – The former Secretary of State for Overseas Territories, Commonwealth, Energy, Climate and Environment, a member of the House of Lords, justified his resignation on the current head of government’s “lack of interest”. With climate reason.

“It is not just the government being anti-environment that is the problem. [o problema] You, our Prime Minister, are simply disinterested, he alleged in a statement issued this morning, addressing Rishi Sunak. “That signal, or the lack of it, spread through Whitehall [sede do Governo] And caused a kind of paralysis.

Stressing the Conservative administration’s “apathy” and “lack of interest” in climate, Goldsmith said he was “appalled” by the Conservative government’s “abandonment” of some targets “both domestically and globally”. , it has committed itself to the fight against climate change.

“Moreover,” he added, “the UK has significantly retreated from the global stage and abandoned its leadership on “climate and nature” issues.

Goldsmith criticized the Prime Minister “just last week” for “choosing to go to a baron’s party”. Average – that Guardian He is the billionaire businessman Rupert Murdoch, the owner of several British, North American and Australian media, with an apparently conservative editorial line – “in Paris, in general, instead of participating in a summit of fundamental importance co-hosted by the United Kingdom”.

Weakened Sunaka

Goldsmith’s resignation was not a surprise given his links to Boris Johnson and his allies, who are openly opposed to Sunak’s leadership – Labor and the Liberal Democrats had called for it, given the “serious” revelations by the Privileges Commission earlier. But his justification for his resignation this Friday raises suspicions that he is not resorting to political arguments backed by critics of the government’s environmental policy.

PA Media and the BBC, citing sources close to the government, said Johnson resigned shortly after Goldsmith had to publicly recant his positions, questioning the credibility of the investigation. But he refused to apologize.

It will be recalled that Sunak’s spokesman announced a door shortly after the commission targeted seven MPs and three members of the House of Lords in their allegations on Thursday, including former ministers Jacob Rees-Mook, Priti Patel and Nadine Dorries. Absolute political confidence of the Prime Minister in the Government Secretary, despite taking positions contrary to the official policy of the Government Tori.

The evidence cited in the Conservative-majority parliamentary committee’s report to justify attempts to discredit the Johnson inquiry – including this one – demanded unanimous support from all parties. The ToriesGoldsmith’s posts on social media – while he was still head of government – showed support for describing the commission as a “show court” and the inquiry as a “witch hunt”.

Goldsmith’s resignation took advantage of the moment to strongly criticize Rishi Sunak, leaving the prime minister in an even weaker position, especially for a party in constant civil wars, which has added more than 20 percentage points. Nationally at the last election, Labor has either failed or underperformed in all of its electoral campaigns in the UK over the past months.

Sarah Olney, MP for the Liberal Democrats – who won her seat against Goldsmith in 2019 – responded to the resignation, saying it was the result of Sunak’s “lack of courage” to remove the foreign secretary after the allegations. Privileges Commission.

However, some environmental groups, including former Green Party leader Natalie Bennett, wanted to congratulate the former foreign secretary for insisting the government’s “reverence” on the fight against climate change.