Britain wants "heavy hitter" to replace sacked climate summit chief - spokesman

Britain wants a "heavy hitter" to run the COP26 climate conference due to be held in Glasgow later this year, Prime Minister Boris Johnson's political spokesman told reporters on Wednesday.

Johnson sacked the previous summit head Clare O'Neill last week. O'Neill said Johnson had shown a lack of leadership and engagement over the summit.

The spokesman said O'Neill's replacement should be someone who could "handle themselves on the world stage". The replacement will have a ministerial role in the government and is expected to be named as part of a reshuffle due in the coming weeks.