Glasgow will host COP26, UK Government insists

"We are committed to working with the Scottish government to make it a success"

Glasgow will host the UN climate change conference, the UK Government has insisted, despite a row with the Scottish Government and reports that  an alternative venue in London had been looked in to.

Downing street was forced to clarify its intention to host COP26 in Glasgow after reports in the Financial Times said that the Excel Center in London was being considered as a back-up location. 

The Prime Minister's spokesperson said: "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 changes and represents value for the UK taxpayer.”

They added that it was normal "contingency planning" to look at an alternative venue. 

"We are committed to working with the Scottish government to make it a success".

The confirmation came after Nicola Sturgeon had accused Boris Johnson of "playing politics with the biggest issue of our time". 

But she sought to downplay the tensions between the Scottish and UK governments over the cost of policing the event, as well as what the First Minister's role at the conference should be. 

Sturgeon said: "It’s not a row. It’s a PM playing politics with the biggest issue of our time – he should be called out on it, not indulged."

The conference is to be held in Glasgow in November. 

It is to be the biggest event of its type the UK has ever hosted, seeing around 200 world leaders and a further 30,000 delegates come to the city over a week. 

What is COP26? Read our in context for more.