UK High Commissioner George Brandis in diplomatic crash in Scotland

A late-running George Brandis was trying to catch up to the motorcade of Prime Minister Scott Morrison during the Glasgow climate summit - but it didn’t quite go to plan.

A diplomatic investigation is under way after two police security cars crashed as Australia’s High Commissioner to the UK George Brandis tried to catch up to and join the Prime Minister’s official motorcade at the Glasgow COP26 climate summit.

The minor bingle has left two cop cars badly dinged and Mr Brandis red-faced, with an official London Metropolitan Police report completed into the incident and a Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade investigation ongoing.

It can be revealed Mr Brandis, being driven in his diplomatic vehicle, was trying to catch up with PM Scott Morrison’s official motorcade on his final day at the summit in November en route to a stakeholder breakfast.

George Brandis, the High Commissioner of Australia to the UK. Picture: Getty Images

Security officers in two Metropolitan Police cars saw the High Commissioner’s official car attempting to join the motorcade and took defensive measures to head off the perceived threat.

A Metropolitan Police spokeswoman said it does not comment on “security matters” but an official report into the incident seen by The Daily Telegraph confirmed the chain of events.

As Mr Brandis’s official car tried to join the motorcade the police officers realised the car had Australian diplomatic plates and was not a security threat.

“George was late and was telling his driver to hurry up and catch up with the motorcade,” a diplomatic source told The Daily Telegraph.

“One of the police cars then braked causing the other to crash into it. No one was injured but it was highly embarrassing for the Commissioner.”

The Prime Minister was on his way to a breakfast meeting with representatives of some of Australia’s biggest energy companies including Fortescue Future Industries, Rio Tinto and Santos.

A British police car involved in a collision with the official car of Australian High Commissioner George Brandis in Glasgow.

Mr Brandis had originally been slated to travel by bus with the staff to the breakfast meeting where he was due to make the opening remarks and introduce Mr Morrison.

Instead he ordered his official car to come to the hotel to take him. By the time it arrived he was late and to catch up it is understood he ordered his driver to try and join the official motorcade, which are reserved for heads of government.

Clearing up the bingle by the Scottish roadside meant Mr Brandis’ seat at the business breakfast table remained conspicuously empty. An Australian official had to step in and make the opening ­remarks introducing the PM.

“George finally arrived at the breakfast looking very sheepish indeed,” the source said.

Mr Brandis, 64, is a lawyer and former Attorney-General who courted controversy during his time in parliament for spending $15,000 of taxpayer money on custom-built bookshelves for his parliamentary office. An earlier shelf that cost $7000 was too big to move.

The Daily Telegraph submitted a series of questions to Mr Brandis including whether Australia would be paying for the damage to two Metropolitan Police cars, why he did not want to travel on the bus and why he was unable to inform security teams that he was trying to join them.

A Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokesman said: “DFAT is aware of an incident involving a convoy for Australian official vehicles during COP26.

“Nobody was injured in the incident and no Australian vehicle was damaged.

“DFAT is investigating the incident in accordance with the secretary’s work, health and safety responsibilities,” he said.