UK Environment Minister Zac Goldsmith quits, rebukes PM

British Environment Minister Zac Goldsmith announced his resignation on Friday, saying it was government "apathy" that led him to his decision.

Goldsmith pointed the finger directly at Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in his letter of resignation, accusing him of being "uninterested" in environmental matters.

"The problem is not that the government is hostile to the environment, it is that you, our prime minister, are simply uninterested," said Goldsmith, whose official title was that of Minister of State for Overseas Territories, Commonwealth, Energy, Climate and Environment.

What Zac Goldsmith said as he resigned

In his resignation letter, Goldsmith highlighted some of the UK's successes in protecting the environment and pointed to what he said were "unprecedented commitments from countries" at the COP26 summit, which was held in Scotland in 2021.

Goldsmith said the UK had been "the driving force behind successful global efforts," including the push for measures to protect 30% of the world's land and oceans by the end of the decade.

"But I have been horrified as, bit by bit we have abandoned these commitments — domestically and on the world stage," the outgoing minister said. 

He expressed concern that the UK had "visibly stepped off the world stage and withdrawn our leadership on climate and nature."

The minister's resignation comes after the House of Commons privileges committee identified him as one of eight supporters of former Prime Minister Boris Johnson in parliament who had tried to undermine their "Partygate" investigation.

The committee found that Johnson had deliberately misled Parliament about the COVID lockdown-flouting parties.

How Rishi Sunak reacted to Goldsmith's resignation

Sunak accepted Goldsmith's resignation in a letter released by the prime minister's office on Friday.

"I accept your resignation ... you were asked to apologize for your comments about the Privileges Committee as we felt they were incompatible with your position as a Minister of the Crown. You have decided to take a different course," Sunak said.

The prime minister went on to say that he was "grateful" for Goldsmith's service, calling him a "vocal advocate for some of the most important issues that the UK and the world face today."

kb/dj (Reuters, dpa)