Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is in Brazil this week for COP30, leaving his deputy David Lammy to tackle PMQs.
Keir Starmer jets off to Brazil for COP30 (Image: Getty)
Sir Keir Starmer has just marked his 40th foreign trip since becoming the prime minister as he touches down in Brazil for COP30. The climate summit is being held in Belem, a city known as the gateway to the Amazon rainforest, and Sir Keir hopes to further his net zero green agenda. The 4,600-mile trip comes before his 41st trip to Johannesburg in South Africa for a G20 summit later this month. Sir Keir’s growing number of foreign trips has seen him branded as “never here Keir”.
His travel list so far in his 16 months as prime minister includes five US trips and five visits to France, as well as three trips to Germany and two trips each to Ukraine, Norway, Italy and Belgium. Sir Keir’s latest visit to the South American nation aims to restore the UK as “a global leader for climate action and green growth”.
Sir Keir arrives in Brazil alongside Prince William (Image: Getty)
The prime minister’s official spokesman added that Net Zero was “the economic opportunity of the 21st century” and could “reignite our industrial heartlands” and “create good jobs for the future”.
Full list of the PM’s foreign visits:
- USA: 5
- France: 5
- Germany: 3
- Brazil: 2
- Belgium: 2
- Norway: 2
- Italy: 2
- Ukraine: 2
- Ireland: 1
- Netherlands: 1
- Denmark: 1
- Poland: 1
- Switzerland: 1
- Albania: 1
- Hungary: 1
- Estonia: 1
- Azerbaijan: 1
- Cyprus: 1
- Egypt: 1
- Saudi Arabia: 1
- United Arab Emirates: 1
- India: 1
- South Africa: 1
- Canada: 1
- Samoa: 1
In Sir Keir’s absence, David Lammy and Rachel Reeves were left holding down the fort.
Justice Secretary Mr Lammy, who answered questions on behalf of Sir Keir while he was away, came under fire for his angry clash during PMQs, where he admitted he can’t promise more asylum-seeker offenders won’t be accidentally let out of prison.
The session turned into a bad-tempered row as he was questioned by Conservative Shadow Defence Secretary James Cartlidge – with Mr Lammy exclaiming at one point “get a grip!”
