London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Jul 05, 2025

COP26: Boris Johnson apologises to minister over wheelchair access

COP26: Boris Johnson apologises to minister over wheelchair access

Boris Johnson has apologised to an Israeli minister who was unable to access COP26 in her wheelchair.

Karine Elharrar was forced to return to her hotel 50 miles away on Monday after waiting outside for two hours.

The UK prime minister told her he was sorry for the "confusion" when the energy minister joined a meeting with him and Israel's PM, Naftali Bennett.

Mr Bennett thanked his British counterpart for his "quick intervention on this unfortunate incident".

And he called it a "learning opportunity for all of us in the importance of accessibility for all", a statement backed by Mr Johnson.

Ms Elharrar - who has muscular dystrophy - told BBC News she had gone into the climate summit on Tuesday "very easily" and it was "quite a different experience".

But she said Monday's incident had been "a good experience to make sure the next UN conference will be accessible".

The minister added: "We can talk about accessibility and the rights of people with disabilities, but in life we need to implement all the conventions and all the regulations and that was an experience that showed that we need to pay attention to all the details everywhere.

"I am sure it will be different in the future."

Earlier, the UK's Environment Secretary, George Eustice, said the incident involving Ms Elharrar was "deeply regrettable" and that the UK government had apologised.

But disability charity Scope said it was "inexcusable" and the organisers "should have seen this coming".

Mr Johnson's apology has coincided with Purple Tuesday - an awareness day set up to make organisations improve the experience of their disabled customers.

Mr Eustice appeared to blame the Israeli delegation for the fact Ms Elharrar could not get into the venue, telling BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "What would normally happen in this situation is that Israel would have communicated that they had that particular need for their minister.

"There was obviously something that went wrong in this instance and they weren't aware of that so they hadn't made the right provisions at that particular entrance she was coming too."

He added: "I know that at most of the other entrances there [is] wheelchair access there. It was because she obviously came to an entrance that didn't have that provision."

But a spokesman from the Israeli Embassy in London said the country's delegation to the summit had "communicated over the past several weeks all the details about the minister's requirements".

Mr Eustice faced some criticism for the remarks, with Lib Dem peer Lady Ludford tweeting: "Not the most gracious of responses for the COP26 host to blame the guest."

On Monday, Ms Elharrar told Israel's Channel 12 that she could not get onto the grounds of the conference because the only options were to either walk or take a shuttle that was not suitable for a wheelchair.

Her office told the Times of Israel she waited outside the venue in Glasgow for two hours, and she was eventually forced to return to her hotel in the Scottish capital Edinburgh 80km (50 miles) away.

On Monday, she tweeted that it was "sad" the UN "does not provide accessibility to its events".

And an official in Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett's delegation said they had formally complained to organisers.

'Genuine mistake'


Reacting to the incident, Alison Kerry of Scope said: "It is inexcusable that the organisers of COP26 haven't made all of their venue accessible for disabled people.

"No one should be excluded from participating in an event that is addressing one of the biggest issues of our time."

She added: "The organisers should have seen this coming. With one in five of us being disabled, it should come as no surprise that a venue hosting tens of thousands of delegates will need to make a significant number of reasonable adjustments.

"It's high time accessibility is built in from the start and not an afterthought."

The organisers of COP26 told the BBC that the main venue was fully wheelchair accessible, while temporary structures built around it had all undergone accessibility checks and were fully compliant.

A COP26 spokeswoman said: "This was a genuine mistake and we have apologised to Minister Elharrar -we look forward to her attendance at COP26 today [Tuesday].

"We remain committed to an inclusive event accessible to all and the venue was designed to facilitate that."


Boris Johnson apologises to Israeli minister Karine Elharrar for her not gaining access to COP26 in her wheelchair on Monday.

Israeli minister Karine Elharrar hopes for better wheelchair access at conferences

Environment Secretary George Eustice: COP26 wheelchair access problems "deeply regrettable"


Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Political Dispute Escalates Between Trump and Musk
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
US Senate Votes to Remove AI Regulation Moratorium from Domestic Policy Bill
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
Jury Deliberations in Diddy Trial Yield Partial Verdict in Serious Criminal Charges
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
King Charles Plans Significant Role for Prince Harry in Coronation
Two Chinese Nationals Arrested for Espionage Activities Against U.S. Navy
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
Trump Administration Considers Withdrawal of Funding for Hospitals Providing Gender Treatment to Minors
×