Shortly after the speech to a half-empty hall in Antalya, Turkey, Downing Street was forced to defend Mr Burnham’s attendance amid questions about whether the journey delivered value for money and reflected his net-zero ambitions.
A spokesman for the Prime Minister said flying to Turkey for the climate conference and then to Ireland for the European Political Community (EPC) meeting was “absolutely” a good use of the Prime Minister’s time.
Scrutiny of Mr Burnham’s travel has intensified after a Government plane flew from London to Manchester to pick him up on the way to a Commonwealth summit in the Caribbean last week, earning him the nickname Air Miles Andy among opponents.
A Downing Street spokesman said: “The Prime Minister has been very clear that the climate crisis is no longer a distant threat and he feels that it’s extremely important to meet with other leaders and address to help address the key challenges posed by climate change.
“On the European Political Community meeting, as I set out, he will attend a number of meetings there, including on Ukraine, with the hope of making further progress towards a just and lasting peace there.”