London venue lined up as possible host for climate change summit after rows over Glasgow preparations

Talks have opened with the ExCeL centre – but a government source insisted it is only ‘contingency planning’

A venue in London is being lined up to host the COP26 climate change summit if necessary, amid rows over spiralling costs and bungled preparations in Glasgow.

The move – which would enrage the Scottish government – comes despite the government denying any plan to move COP26 when it was alleged after the sacking of its president last month.

In fact, talks have opened with the ExCeL convention centre in the capital, a government source told The Independent, while insisting it was only “contingency planning”.

But Scottish first minister Nicola Sturgeon accused Boris Johnson of “playing politics with the biggest issue of our time”, adding: “He should be called out on it, not indulged.”

The move follows a damaging row with Holyrood over suggestions the policing bill will top £200m and that some buildings that will be needed have been set aside for other purposes.

Claire O’Neill, the summit president sacked by Boris Johnson, claimed the prime minister reacted to her call for Ms Sturgeon to be given a key role with “salty” language.

No 10 was then forced to deny an allegation that Mr Johnson referred to the Scottish first minister as “that wee Jimmy Krankie woman”.

The source said: “This is fairly standard contingency planning. We do it before most major events.”

And government sources insisted that discussions with the ExCel began soon after the UK was made host of the COP gathering.

Mr Johnson’s press secretary told reporters: “We are committed to holding COP26 in Glasgow, but the Scottish government need to work with us to make sure this is a successful summit which showcases the UK as a world leader in tackling climate change and represents value for the UK taxpayer.

“It’s standard practice to carry out contingency planning for for major international events at this scale.

“The first minister said yesterday that the Scottish government will work closely and constructively with the UK government to deliver COP26. I think this issue is above party politics.”

Ms Sturgeon has risked further inflaming Downing Street this week with a call for climate emergency protestors to play a leading role at the summit in November, sponsored by the United Nations.

Calling for COP26 to be “inclusive”, she said: “That’s the kind of movement we need to create around this, that can be a hugely powerful voice for change.”

She branded the press secretary’s comments “silly”, writing on Twitter: “I’ve made crystal clear the Scottish government commitment to making COP26 a success and offered PM additional input from us – he hasn’t yet responded. If he insists on playing politics it will be on him, not me.”

London and Edinburgh have clashed over both the policing costs and logistics for the 11-day gathering, which will attract tens of thousands of people.

Large numbers of officers from the Metropolitan Police will have to be deployed to Scotland, with officials north of the border believing the UK government was slow to realise that.

However, a Whitehall official told The Independent that Holyrood’s estimate of those costs was “eye-watering”, saying: “We do not believe the estimates from the Scottish government are realistic.”

Edinburgh also says the initial plans did not require use of the Glasgow Science Centre close by – resulting in it signing a deal for public events linked to COP26 to be staged there.

Mr Johnson has been struggling to ward off criticism of his handling of the summit since Ms O’Neill claimed: “He has admitted to me he doesn’t really understand it [climate change] – he doesn’t really get it, I think is what he said.”

A new COP26 president is expected to be appointed in Thursday’s government reshuffle, with Michael Gove the favourite after pushing hard to be given the role.