Prescott bows out of Bali trip

John Prescott has scrapped plans to attend an environmental summit on the tropical island of Bali after critics branded the event a junket.

The Deputy Prime Minister had been due to lead a team of 40 civil servants on the trip, to be held at a five-star hotel complex at a cost to the taxpayer of £300,000.

It emerged today that he has changed his mind. Instead Britain's delegation will be led by Environment Secretary Margaret Beckett, accompanied by her husband Leo.

The meeting next month is part of the build-up to the Earth Summit in South Africa in September. Mr Prescott, currently in Johannesburg, believes enough preparation has been done for the September conference to make his attendence in Bali unnecessary.

A Cabinet Office spokesman claimed Mr Prescott "never had any intention of going to Bali".

The denial appeared to contradict earlier statements from Whitehall which said Mr Prescott had indeed planned to attend, subject to progress in pre-meetings.

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