Dame Angela becomes one of 12 women in Burnham’s new look Cabinet which also features more MPs with seats in northern England, though there are fewer women in the most senior jobs than at any point since Labour came to power.
Dame Angela has been the MP for Wallasey in since 1992.
Over her career, she has held ministerial roles under multiple Labour governments. Under Tony Blair, she served in the Environment, Transport and the Regions, Social Security, and Home Office departments. In Gordon Brown’s government, she was Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury and Minister of State for Pensions and the Ageing Society.
She has also served on the Treasury Select Committee and the Intelligence and Security Committee, and held internal Labour Party roles such as Chair of the Equalities Committee.
She announced a leadership challenge to Jeremy Corbyn in July 2016, but withdrew eight days later leaving Owen Smith to challenge Mr Corbyn for the leadership.
Dame Angela was previously Minister of State at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs – a position she held from September 2025 to June 2026.
Before her role as Farming Minister, she served as Minister of State for Border Security and Asylum at the Home Office (2024–2025).
Dame Angela said she felt “great” after being appointed Environment Secretary.
She left Downing Street on Monday evening with the newly appointed Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh.
Dame Angela said: “I am honoured to have been appointed Secretary of State in the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). I will undertake this role alongside my ongoing commitment to advocating for my constituents in Parliament as MP for Wallasey.
“From the food we eat and the water we drink, to our countryside, coastlines and natural environment, DEFRA has a vital role to play in building a more secure, more sustainable Britain.
“I look forward to working with farmers, food producers, environmental organisations, and our rural communities.”
