THERE have been calls for the leader of the city's Green council to resign after he was caught flying to a climate change conference.

Phelim Mac Cafferty has been slammed for a "total lack of principles" after admitting that he flew to COP26 in Glasgow.

Labour councillor Daniel Yates labelled him as an "embarrassment to the city" while calling for his resignation.

Writing on Twitter, Cllr Yates said "I hope he will consider his position while contemplating his air miles".

The Brighton and Hove City Council leader admitted the blunder yesterday after The Argus questioned how he travelled to Scotland.

After completing the 460-mile journey, Cllr Mac Cafferty made a speech on cutting carbon emissions.

He also appeared at a protest march calling for world leaders to stop temperatures rising.

Cllr Mac Cafferty has since unreservedly apologised for taking flight for around 1 hour 20 minutes - saying he had been worried his train might be cancelled.

Reacting on Twitter, furious Cllr Yates said he was "worried" the council leader would delay his resignation.

The Argus: Cllr Mac Cafferty made a speech on cutting carbon emissions and appeared at a protest march calling for world leaders to stop temperatures risingCllr Mac Cafferty made a speech on cutting carbon emissions and appeared at a protest march calling for world leaders to stop temperatures rising

He wrote: "It’s not a failure of judgement. It’s a total lack of principles. One rule for us, another for them.

"As he won’t resign the greens should sack him. An embarrassment for the whole city.

"He was worried that the trains might be delayed... I’m very worried that his resignation is delayed."

The blunder comes just days after Cllr Mac Cafferty claimed in his weekly Argus column that Brighton and Hove was "leading the way on climate and social action".

Green MP Caroline Lucas was also in Glasgow for the conference but confirmed to The Argus that she had travelled by train.

Cllr Mac Cafferty said he had been “concerned about the unreliability of the rail network” which previously left people struggling to get to COP26.

At the end of last month, operators from the east and west coast mainlines advised against people travelling from London to Glasgow amid stormy weather across the UK.

Cllr Mac Cafferty said: “On the Friday evening just gone, I took a flight from London to Glasgow to attend COP26 where I had been invited to represent the city at a presentation of the Glasgow Declaration on Saturday morning.

“This decision to fly was a major failure of my judgement which goes against my political group’s pledges and principles and I unreservedly apologise.

“I reluctantly took this very difficult decision because I was concerned about the unreliability of the rail network following the well-publicised difficulties experienced by many people wanting to travel by train to Glasgow the week before, when trains were cancelled.

“I was concerned that this would happen again and I felt it was important not to miss the opportunity to attend the important presentation on behalf of the city, lobby world leaders and share with others the innovative work taking place in Brighton and Hove.

“I paid for my own transport and all associated costs. I am not getting paid for any of the speeches I am making or meetings I am attending and I am otherwise working from Glasgow.

“Transport contributes a large portion of carbon emissions, all significant journeys we make have an effect on our climate. I will be offsetting the carbon cost of my journey.

“I will be taking my return journey on train. Again, I apologise unreservedly.”