Dame Angela Eagle has been appointed minister of state at Defra, replacing Daniel Zeichner, who leaves the department after holding the role since Labour’s July 2024 election victory.
Dame Angela, a senior Labour MP with experience across multiple departments, joins Emma Reynolds, who was appointed secretary of state for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in the same reshuffle, replacing Steve Reed.
The appointment signals a potentially more assertive approach from Defra on climate, environmental and rural economic issues.
See also: Farmers Weekly Podcast Ep 270: New Defra secretary and NFYFC funding
Dame Angela, who has a long parliamentary record on social justice, marine conservation and coastal protection, is expected to bring a more high-profile voice to policy discussions on farming and land use.
We are pleased to welcome Dame Angela Eagle DBE @angelaeagle as the new Minister of State at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. pic.twitter.com/6fTXoaQaaj
— Defra UK (@DefraGovUK) September 6, 2025
Speaking during a parliamentary debate on the Agricultural Transition in March 2022, Dame Angela, Labour MP for Wallasey, said: “I cannot say I am an expert in all things agricultural or farming.”
She went on to say that transitioning from the familiar Common Agricultural Policy to Environmental Land Management “is bound to create the potential for confusion, worry, and maybe even administrative problems”.
Speaking at the time about the impact of volatile costs faced by farmers, Dame Angela said:
“Farmers face uncertain and volatile – but probably rising – costs at a time when the basic income that they are used to is transitioning.
“It will be difficult for farmers to deal with that volatility without some sort of reassurance from the government.”
Dame Angela’s twin sister, Maria Eagle, is also a Labour MP (for Liverpool Garston) and previously served as a Shadow Labour environment secretary from 2010 to 2013, giving her a direct historical link to Defra and its policy areas.
Experience concerns
Opposition MPs have flagged concerns about a lack of experience of the farming industry for both new Defra appointees.
Shadow farming minister Robbie Moore said he carried out a quick search on Hansard and found that Dame Angela had mentioned “farming” only three times in Parliament since she was elected in 1992.
“Great to have another outspoken voice for farmers in Defra,” Mr Moore wrote on X.
Commenting on the same social media platform about his removal from Defra, Mr Zeichner said:
“Very sad to be leaving a job in government I have loved – working with brilliant people at Defra and so many great people keeping our country fed: the farmers, the fishermen, everyone in the food supply chain and in rural areas.
“But politics, and governing in particular, is a team endeavour, and the baton is passed and I carry on with the best job possible, MP for Cambridge!”
Commenting on the appointments, Mo Metcalf-Fisher, director of external affairs at the Countryside Alliance, said:
“It is clear the government must urgently reset its relationship with the countryside and establish the bond of respect it was promised by the prime minister [Sir Keir Starmer] prior to the general election.
“That should start with the government pursuing policies aimed at doing things for rural communities, not just to them.
“At this critical time for many living and working in the countryside, we look forward to working with the new Defra top team to help unleash the countryside and to protect the rural way of life.”
Key priorities
Farmers will be looking to Dame Angela and Ms Reynolds at Defra to take swift and decisive action on a number of pressing issues.
These include the reopening of the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) in England, revisiting or scrapping proposed changes to inheritance tax on agricultural land, tackling rural crime, and securing fairer market returns for food producers across the supply chain.
In the wake of deputy prime minister Angela Rayner’s resignation last week, Sir Keir was compelled to undertake a wide-ranging reshuffle including the changes at Defra.