THE UN climate summit to be hosted in Glasgow is mired in “confusion and chaos”, ministers have been warned.

Labour called on the UK Government to “play the leadership role needed” after a former Tory MP was removed as president of the event.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson will today launch the conference, to be held in November.

Claire Perry O’Neill, who stood down as an MP at the 2019 election, has threatened to sue the UK Government over her dismissal as the summit’s chief – calling for an explanation.

Now, Labour’s Rachel Reeves has called on the UK Government to step up.

Reeves told the UK Parliament: “Hosting the global climate conference, COP26, is a huge opportunity for Britain to tackle the climate emergency and play an international leadership role – so why is it mired in chaos and confusion?

“The Prime Minister has failed to chair a single meeting of the climate cabinet committee, and now he’s sacked the conference

president.

“Why is that and what is the Government going to do to play that leadership role that we all need to see?”

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab paid tribute to outgoing Perry O’Neill and said it was right that there is full ministerial responsibility over the event.

He said: “The leadership role is, first of all in terms of the actions we’re taking in decarbonising the UK economy, secondly in relation to being the first major economy to commit to net zero by 2050, thirdly by showing the international leadership – we don’t just want the country to come together, we want other countries to come together, that’s why we’re hosting COP26.

“I pay tribute to the work Claire Perry did as we move forward to this more intense lead-up to COP26.

“It’s right that there’s full ministerial responsibility over the negotiations and over the leadership of the conference.”

Johnson will launch the summit at an event in central London today with Sir David Attenborough and Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte.

Amid the new concerns, Scottish Secretary Alister Jack said: “It is great news that the UK Government is bringing the COP 26 climate change conference to Glasgow.

“The city has the experience and the world-class facilities to successfully host such a prestigious event.

“I am confident that Glasgow will provide a great platform for COP 26 attendees to tackle climate change and work to build a better world for future generations.”

Security costs for hosting the summit could be “several hundred million pounds”, according to a report that went before the Scottish Police Authority last month.

The Scottish Government has called on Westminster to pick up the bill for the entire security provision.

It will be the largest summit the UK has held, with up to 200 world leaders expected for the final weekend of talks.

There are expected to be around 30,000 delegates in total.