Cop26 attendees from red list countries will be allowed into the UK in a relaxation of the rules, as Britain sends vaccines abroad for delegates.

       Over 20,000 people are expected to attend the climate conference in Glasgow in November, many of them from countries currently on the red or amber coronavirus lists.

       Currently, non-British nationals who also do not have residence rights in the UK cannot come into the country if they have been in a red-list country within 10 days, even if they are fully vaccinated against Covid-19.

       But the rules would be relaxed for delegates of the UN conference, a Cop26 official said.

       Unvaccinated visitors will quarantine for 10 days, while vaccinated attendees will be required to do a five-day hotel quarantine. It is not yet clear who will pay for the hotel rooms.

       Delegates from amber and green list countries will also not have to self-isolate whether they are vaccinated or not.

       Vaccines have also been offered to foreign delegates who have not been inoculated against the virus, with priority given to those who have been unable to access doses.

       Earlier on Monday, Alok Sharma, the Cop26 president, said the conference "must be a physical event".

       "I've been very clear right from the start of taking on this role that this must be a physical event, and nothing that has happened has deterred me from that desire.

       "We're talking about almost 200 countries coming together for a negotiation, and that has to happen face to face.

       "Of course, as part of this what we have to ensure is that we are running a very safe event, safe for the participants but also, vitally importantly for me, safe for the people of Glasgow."