G7 summit: Boris Johnson mocked for flying from London to Cornwall to discuss climate crisis

‘If I wanted a greener world I would simply….not take a plane to Cornwall’

Boris Johnson stepping off a plane on Wednesday night in Cornwall (Boris Johnson)

Boris Johnson has been widely lambasted on social media for arriving at the G7 summit in Cornwall by plane.

The prime minister showed up for the meeting of global leaders last night and high on the agenda for discussions over the coming days will be the response to the global coronavirus pandemic and climate change.

A picture posted on Mr Johnson’s official Twitter account showed him leaving a plane making the thumbs-up gesture as he departed the aircraft.

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Shadow environment secretary Luke Pollard criticised Mr Johnson’s method of transport and highlighted the sustainable method of travel he could have used instead.

He tweeted: “This is plane stupid. There’s no trainline to Washington or Tokyo but there is one between Cornwall and London. Take the train, Prime Minister.”

And the Green Party tweeted that there was “a big gaping hole between Boris’s climate talk and climate action.”

Social media users were also less than impressed that the prime minister didn’t take a train to the south-west coast.

Comedy writer Mollie Goodfellow said: “If I wanted a greener world I would simply….not take a plane to Cornwall.”

Professional singer and actor Nicole Raquel Dennis said: “Imagine getting on a plane for this journey. I actually can’t. @BorisJohnson can’t WAITTT to hear what comes out of the plans for a greener future meeting.”

Piers Morgan said: “Nothing says ‘greener’ more than you flying to Cornwall from London to discuss how to reduce the globe’s carbon footprint....”

After landing, Mr Johnson told reporters: “If you attack my arrival by plane, I respectfully point out that the UK is actually in the lead in developing sustainable aviation fuel and one of the points in the 10-point plan for our green industrial revolution is to get to jet-zero as well as net-zero.”

It comes as Mr Johnson and Joe Biden are to to agreed a new commitment for the UK and US to co-operate on challenges including climate change and security when they meet today.

The US President will meet the prime minister on his first overseas visit since entering the White House, with the two leaders set to agree a new Atlantic Charter to underpin shared commitments on pressing international issues.

As part of that process, the new Atlantic Charter will commit the UK and US to apply their combined strength to the enormous challenges facing the planet today, including global defence and security, “building back better” from coronavirus, and stopping climate change.