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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
National
Simon Walters

Charity ‘blocked’ government bid to appoint Stanley Johnson as Cop26 ambassador

Getty

Boris Johnson is facing fresh claims of nepotism after it was revealed that charity bosses had blocked a government bid to appoint the prime minister’s father as an “ambassador” at last year’s Cop26 climate change summit.

The wildlife charity WWF threw out a request by environment minister Zac Goldsmith, a close friend of the prime minister and his wife Carrie Johnson, to add Stanley Johnson, 81, to its team of experts at the United Nations conference.

A well-placed source told The Independent that the government was “desperate for Stanley to be able to go [to Cop26] in an official capacity”. The source said the request was turned down after a revolt by senior WWF figures, who argued it would be “totally inappropriate”.

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