Gove bids to tell President Trump to ‘take responsibility’ over pollution

Environment Secretary Michael Gove has signalled he wants to “make it clear” to US President Donald Trump that “as the world’s biggest polluter, he has to take responsibility”.

Mr Gove told MPs he hoped to discuss environmental matters over dinner with Mr Trump during his planned state visit to the UK next month, joking that he would “probably opt for a meat-free option on that evening”.

Speaking during a Commons Opposition Day debate on the environment and climate change Mr Gove said: “When it comes to the environment, I am ideologically colour blind, whether people come from blue states or red states, whether they come from blue parties or red parties.

‘The key question is are you acting, and if you are I will applaud.

“I want to make it clear to him that as the world’s biggest polluter, he has to take responsibility.

His comments came in response to Tory Shailesh Vara (North West Cambridgeshire) who intervened during Mr Gove’s speech asking: “Would he kindly inform the House a little bit about what pressure we are putting on other countries to play their part, because this really is something that has to be a global effort.”

Mr Trump’s visit in June is highly controversial and is expected to attract mass demonstrations.

He will hold bilateral talks with Theresa May in Downing Street, while there is expected to be the pomp and ceremony of state honours elsewhere.

A white-tie dinner banquet at Buckingham Palace, hosted by the Queen, is always one of the key events of any state visit.

The Prime Minister was widely criticised for inviting the US leader to make a state visit just days into his presidency in 2017.