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Raab mistakenly claims PM launched climate summit alongside Richard Attenborough

Prime Minister Boris Johnson (left). Photograph: Chris J Ratcliffe/PA Wire. Archant

Dominic Raab was left flustered after hailing the launch of a key climate summit by Boris Johnson alongside Richard Attenborough - the deceased brother of David Attenborough.

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The foreign secretary joked to the House of Commons that there are "so many fantastic Attenboroughs" in the country after the mistake was pointed out.

Prime minister Johnson was joined by Sir David Attenborough at the launch of the UN COP26 summit at the Science Museum in London.

Actor and Oscar-winning director Richard died in August 2014, and was the older brother of TV wildlife presenter Sir David.

In reply to criticism from the SNP's Deidre Brock over the handling of UN COP26 summit in Glasgow, Raab said: "Today, with Sir Richard Attenborough, the prime minister is launching and setting out the detail of our approach to COP26, where we'll lead in bringing the world together to tackle one of the global challenges of our age."

Labour's Kevin Brennan later told Raab: "I think the foreign secretary may have inadvertently said the prime minister was launching the COP26 plans with Richard Attenborough today, of course who is no longer with us, and he might want to take the opportunity to correct that."

Raab replied: "I'm happy to correct the record on which Attenborough.

"We're lucky to have so many fantastic Attenboroughs in this country and we're ambitious about COP26."

Yesterday Raab was unable to explain who would be in charge of the Brexit process after the Department for Exiting the European Union was closed.