Who is Steve Barclay, the new Defra secretary?
© The Conservative Party Former health secretary Steve Barclay has been confirmed as the new Defra secretary, following Therese Coffey’s resignation.
Mr Barclay, who has served as secretary of state for health and Brexit secretary, among several other government posts, is parliamentary patron of the Conservative rural forum.
See also: Steve Barclay appointed as new Defra secretary in reshuffle
He represents the predominantly rural seat of North East Cambridgeshire, in the Fens, and has raised concerns about issues such as delayed farm payments in parliament as far back as 2012, as well as the availability of rural banking and post office services.
On X (formerly Twitter), he has been active on rural matters for several years, posting about subjects such as agritech, rural crime, firearms licences, seasonal workers and countryside sports.
But the position of Mr Barclay’s wife, Karen Barclay, who is head of major infrastructure Developing Consent Order (DCO) planning and stakeholder engagement at Anglia Water, has left the new secretary of state open to accusations of conflict of interest.
In his new position, Mr Barclay will be responsible for overseeing the regulation of water companies.
Tim Farron, rural spokesperson for the Liberal Democrats, said: “Minister’s spouses do of course have the right to their own careers, but I do worry about the possible conflict of interest here for the man charged with forcing the water companies to clean up their act.
“We need to make sure the secretary of state is fully committed to doing everything in his power to stop the sewage scandal.”
Industry reaction
Tenant Farmers Association
Tenant Farmers Association chief executive George Dunn told Farmers Weekly he welcomed Mr Barclay’s appointment.
“He was briefed on the conclusions of the Rock Review on agricultural tenancies during his time at the Cabinet Office and we look forward to working with him on implementing the recommendations of the Review through the newly established Farm Tenancy Forum,” he said.
Association of Independent Meat Suppliers
Tony Goodger, spokesperson for the Association of Independent Meat Suppliers (Aims), said: “Just last week, the former Defra lead was in China visiting the Food & Hospitality show in Shanghai and we wondered whether she’d be able to help open this valuable market for exports of beef, lamb and poultry.
“It’s now down to him to secure these new business opportunities across the globe and we wish him well.”
Agricultural Industries Confederation
Agricultural Industries Confederation (AIC) chief executive Robert Sheasby said: “Our industry is crying out for some stability in these challenging times – businesses need certainty to invest with confidence.
“We look forward to engaging with the secretary of state on the range of issues facing British agriculture and our environment, including bolstering the UK’s long-term food security and achieving a clear Land Use Framework.”
Country Land and Business Association
Country Land and Business Association (CLA) president Victoria Vyvyan said: “It is vital Mr Barclay hits the ground running. Environmental Land Management schemes are being rolled out, BPS is being cut, rural communities are being hit hard by the cost-of-living crisis, and persistently low economic productivity is hampering our businesses and workers.
“With a general election expected next year, politicians of all colours must grasp that rural voters cannot be taken for granted and votes are up for grabs for those with a robust and ambitious plan for the countryside.”