London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Jul 27, 2026

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
Following OpenAI's Cyberattack: 'Most Companies Still Do Not Understand What Is Coming'
Autopsy Finds No Violence in Death of Epstein-Linked Model Scout
Indian Education Minister Resigns After Cockroach Youth Protests
California Desert Data-Centre Plan Stalls as Water and Power Disputes Mount
Northern Ireland Border Security Tightened After Military-Grade Explosive Interception
British Hospitality Sector Targets Summer Visitors Through Regional Promotions
England River Access Debate Intensifies After New Data Shows Limited Public Access
Royal Navy Strengthens Maritime Vigilance Amid Rising Security Concerns
UK Education Department Expands Mental Health Support for Young People Entering Work
UK Tourism Industry Launches Summer Campaigns to Boost Domestic Travel
North England Transport Plans Advance to Support Industrial Growth
Financial Markets Watch New Government’s Economic Strategy as Investors Assess Fiscal Risks
Royal Navy Continues Monitoring Russian Naval Activity Near UK Waters
UK Care Workers May Receive Immigration Exemptions Under Proposed Visa Changes
Health Secretary Yvette Cooper Begins Emergency Talks to Address NHS Staffing Shortages
UK Banks Launch High-Interest Savings Offers to Attract Household Deposits
North Sea Oil Drilling Projects Face Delays After Offshore Equipment Accident
Cairngorms Wildfire Highlights Growing Pressure on UK Emergency Services
UK Government Borrowing Plans Put Pressure on Ten-Year Gilt Markets
Royal Navy Aircraft Carrier HMS Prince of Wales Returns After NATO Northern Flank Mission
Metropolitan Police Opens Criminal Investigation Into Reform UK Political Donations
Scottish Government Requests Military Support as Cairngorms Wildfire Forces Emergency Response
Andy Burnham Takes Office as UK Prime Minister and Unveils New Cabinet Team
War, Youth Revolt and the Global Struggle for Control
War, Power and the Rising Price of Political Decisions
High Street Sales Suffer Sharpest Summer Decline in Five Years
Wales Approves Higher Taxes on Second Homes and Long-Term Empty Properties
Environment Agency Imposes Record £150 Million Penalty on Water Companies
UK Competition Watchdog Blocks U.S. Takeover of Cambridge Chip Designer
Scotland Unveils Land Reform Bill to Expand Renewable Energy Projects
Northern Ireland Secures £500 Million Technology Investment for Belfast Cybersecurity Hub
NHS Rolls Out AI Triage System Across Major Hospitals in England
UK Strengthens North Sea Naval Cooperation With European Allies
UK Chancellor Commits £7 Billion to Accelerate Manchester-Leeds Rail Link
Bank of England Signals Interest Rate Cuts After Inflation Falls Below Target
Badenoch Rejects Grant Shapps' Bid to Return as Conservative Candidate
BAE Chief Warns Britain Has Underestimated the Risk of War
Burnham Rules Out New Scottish Independence Referendum in First Talks With Swinney
UK Government Strengthens Northern Economic Agenda Through Manchester Headquarters and Regional Partnerships
United Kingdom Opens New Furness Peninsula Coastal Route Under King Charles the Third England Coast Path
England Reduces Business Costs for Hospitality Sector Through New Relief Package
United Kingdom Allocates Seven Point Three Million Pounds for Zero-Emission Aviation Research
United Kingdom Begins Restoration Works on Portishead Railway Line After Six Decades Without Passenger Services
United States Tariff Measures Create New Trade Challenges for United Kingdom and European Union Businesses
Prime Minister Andy Burnham Meets Scottish and Welsh Leaders to Promote Regional Growth Cooperation
United Kingdom Government Announces Twenty Percent Business Rates Cut for Pubs, Clubs, and Music Venues
Prime Minister Andy Burnham Opens Manchester Government Headquarters to Shift Decision-Making Away From Westminster
United Kingdom Defence Ministry Says Armed Forces Ready After Iran Accuses London Over US Military Strikes
United Kingdom Inflation Falls to Two Point Six Percent as Prime Minister Andy Burnham Gains Economic Breathing Room
OpenAI Sued After ChatGPT Allegedly Discouraged Emergency Care Before Near-Fatal Embolism
×