Steve Reed and Daniel Zeichner, who held the roles of Defra secretary and farming minister since the current government came to power in July 2024, have been replaced in the reshuffle sparked by deputy prime minister Angela Rayner’s resignation.
Emma Reynolds, elected MP for Wycombe in July 2024, has succeeded Mr Reed as Defra secretary, while veteran Labour MP Dame Angela Eagle replaces Mr Zeichner as a minister at Defra.
Ms Reynolds moves from the role of economic secretary to the Treasury, having previously been parliamentary secretary at both the Treasury and the Department of Work and Pensions from July 2024 to January 2025.
She was previously the MP for Wolverhampton North East between 2010 and 2019. Between losing her seat in 2019 and returning to parliament in 2024, she worked as a lobbyist for TheCityUK, representing the interests of the financial sector. Before becoming an MP, she also set up her own lobbying business.
Ms Reynolds said she was ‘delighted’ with her appointment and looked forward to building on the ‘excellent work’ Mr Reed ‘cleaning up our rivers, backing British farming and ensuring nature’s recovery’.
Dame Angela, elected as MP for Wallasey in July 2024, was previously Minister of State (Minister for Border Security and Asylum) at the Home Office from July 8, 2024, to September 6, 2025.
