Barry Gardiner MP, Labour’s Shadow Secretary of State for International Trade, Energy & Climate Change and Europe, responding to the Tory Government’s continued refusal to start the domestic process for ratifying the Paris climate agreement, said:
 
“The Government’s dithering and delay has made it now impossible for the UK to ratify the Paris climate deal before the next global climate summit at the beginning of November.
 
“Tory Ministers pretended there was no rush because the EU had to collect all 28 country agreements together before notifying the United Nations. But that excuse has now disappeared.
 
"EU leaders have now proposed an accelerated timeline, which would see the EU ratify the Paris Agreement in a matter of weeks.
 
"It is tragic to see the way in which the UK has gone from being a key climate leader to one of the countries holding up further progress.”