Carrie Symonds will jet to New York this weekend for her first foreign trip with Boris Johnson as PM
BORIS Johnson’s girlfriend will jet to New York this weekend in the pair’s first foreign trip as a couple.
Carrie Symonds will be by the PM’s side as he seeks to put Britain at the forefront of the world’s bid to tackle climate change.
Mr Johnson and other world leaders are meeting in the ‘Big Apple’ for the UN Climate Action Summit.
And he is expected to be joined by Ms Symonds when he calls for more action to help endangered species in a keynote speech to the WWF on Monday.
A senior Government official insisted Ms Symonds would be in New York “for work” given her role as an advisor for US campaign group Oceana.
They added her attendance would not come at any “additional cost” to the taxpayer.
But they declined to rule out her staying in Mr Johnson’s five star hotel. Environment Minister Zac Goldsmith is also due in the city.
The PM travelled to Balmoral with his girlfriend for dinner with the Queen earlier this month – an engagement cut short by the Brexit crisis.
Insiders credit Ms Symonds for having a huge influence on the PM’s stance on environmental issues.
But senior Tories were said to be furious earlier this month when the Government called off a badger cull in Derbyshire following a meeting between campaigner Dominic Dyer and Ms Symonds in Downing Street.
The 31 year-old gave her first public speech since Mr Johnson entered No.10 at a Birdfair event last month. She said politicians have a “gigantic responsibility” to care for the environment.
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