While Zac Goldsmith cited environmental policies as the reason for his resignation, it came after he was asked to apologize for trying to undermine a group of lawmakers investigating violations of government rules.
Goldsmith noted that Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was “just uninterested” in the environment.
“This government’s apathy in the face of the greatest challenge we have ever faced makes continuing in my current position untenable,” he wrote in the resignation letter posted on social media.
Britain has “visibly withdrawn from the global stage and our leadership on climate and nature has been relinquished,” he lamented.
Goldsmith, Sunak and Johnson are members of the ruling Conservative Party.
Goldsmith, 48, is a seasoned environmentalist who was appointed by Johnson to the unelected House of Lords before the former prime minister resigned nearly a year ago over ethics scandals.
Goldsmith’s resignation comes a day after receiving criticism from lawmakers, along with seven other Johnson allies, for trying to undermine the commission investigating whether the former president lied to Parliament about government holidays held amid the pandemic that failed to comply. regulations against coronavirus.
The Committee on Privileges found that Johnson – who was still taking over as a secondary lawmaker after resigning as prime minister – misled lawmakers, so it recommended that he be suspended from Parliament for 90 days. Johnson avoided that ignominy by resigning as a lawmaker after being given advance notice by the committee of his conclusions.
According to the committee, Goldsmith and Johnson’s other allies exerted “undue pressure” on members of the entity and launched harsh attacks on their work on social media, radio and television.
Goldsmith’s criticism comes after government climate advisers released a report this week saying the country is late in meeting its “net zero emissions” target and “has lost its clear global leadership position in climate change.” climate action”.
Sunak said he had asked Goldsmith “to apologize for his comments about the Privileges Committee because I felt they were inconsistent with his position as a minister.”
“Obviously he has chosen to go in a different direction,” Sunak said.
Despite the dispute over the reason for his resignation, environmental groups say Goldsmith’s comments reflected growing concern about the government’s approach to the environment.
British government climate advisers noted this week that the country is slow to meet its “net zero” greenhouse gas emissions and has “lost its clear global leadership position in climate action.”
FUENTE: Associated Press
