Responding to an article in the Guardian, which said that “the only minister credited with understanding all the issues” would not be going to the “crucial” environmental talks, a spokesperson for DEFRA told letsrecycle.com: “The UK delegation is not yet finalised. The decision will be taken by central government, but it has not yet been made.”
 Michael Meacher, “the only minister credited with understanding all the issues” |
Monday's Guardian report revealed that Downing Street director of communications Alastair Campbell wants to cut the number of delegates going to the Johannesburg summit from 100 to 70 to protect the government's image after claims of excessive spending on such excursions in the past.
Mr Campbell initially suggested leaving John Prescott behind, since the Deputy Prime Minister has no responsibility in government for environmental issues. But after his trip to the tropical island of Bali was also cancelled for the benefit of the government's image, Mr Prescott supposedly pressured Prime Minister Tony Blair into giving him a ticket to South Africa.
Although the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Margaret Beckett, was reportedly going to the Earth Summit, when it was revealed that Michael Meacher would be the minister left behind, environmental pressure groups including Oxfam, the RSPB and Friends of the Earth each offered to pay for him to go.
“Michael Meacher is well respected around the world because he understands his brief and gets stuck in to the detail,” said Mike Childs, Earth Summit co-ordinator at Friends of the Earth. “His absence will be a major loss. If the British Government does not think his presence is crucial, Friends of the Earth does, and that is why we are prepared to pay for him to attend. His contribution could be key.”
BBC Wildlife magazine have also attempted to get Mr Meacher to South Africa, offering to sign him on as a 'special correspondent'. Commenting on the reported decision to leave Mr Meacher behind, Mr Prescott's Conservative Shadow, David Davis, said: “How can the government expect to be taken seriously on green issues when they leave the minister behind and send the bungling Deputy Prime Minister?”
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