Boris Johnson admits he was wrong in the past on climate change ahead of talks at the United Nations in New York – live | Policy

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good morning. Boris Johnson is in New York for the United Nations General Assembly and, on the flying flight, had a lengthy conversation with the journalists accompanying him. They sent his words on when they landed, late last night. Here are the three most important lines.

He said he will challenge Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos on the company’s tax record when they meet later today. When asked if he would ask Bezos about Amazon paying its fair share of UK tax, Johnson replied:

Yes sure. But I will also congratulate him on his huge forestry initiative. It puts a great deal of money into planting trees around the world.

But there was also an interesting line from Johnson when asked about comments made in the past by Anne-Marie Trevelyan, the new international trade secretary, denying the climate crisis. Johnson defended it, but then admitted he had been wrong in the past about climate change. He told reporters:

I don’t want to encourage you, but if you were to dig into some of my articles from 20 years ago, you might find comments I made, the ultimate expression, about climate change that weren’t entirely supportive of the current struggle, but facts change and people change their minds and change their views and that’s very important Moreover.

Johnson has written many things in his career as an embarrassing newspaper columnist now that he’s prime minister, but when these articles are challenged, he usually brushes complaints aside, or claims they have been taken out of context. Full acknowledgment of this kind that he was wrong is relatively rare.

Climate change denial has appeared frequently in Johnson’s columns. There are examples here and here.

Here is today’s agenda.

9:30 a.m.: The Office for National Statistics releases new numbers on COVID rates by demographic group.

11 am: Kwasi Quarting, Minister of Business, holds a summit with the heads of the energy industry on the gas supply crisis.

11:30 a.m.: Downing Street holds its morning briefing in the lobby.

Around 2pm (UK time): Boris Johnson has a meeting in New York with the UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres. After that they are expected to record a clip for the media.

2.30 pm: Defense Secretary Ben Wallace takes questions in the House of Commons.

After 3.30 pm: MPs will discuss the Social Security (Raising Benefits) Bill. Sir Ian Duncan Smith, the former leader of the Conservative Party, and Damien Green, Theresa May’s former first foreign secretary, introduced an amendment opposing the bill because it did not reflect a £20-weekly cut in benefits.

For more Covid coverage, read our global live blog.

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Boris Johnson boarded a RAF plane at Stansted Airport yesterday on his flight to New York. Photography: Stefan Russo/PA.

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