George Eustice MP has been given back his former role as Agriculture Minister by new Prime Minister Boris Johnson, after leaving the post in February.

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Eustice, the MP for Camborne, Redruth and Hayle, was re-instated to his Ministerial role on Thursday (25 July) after leaving four months ago over Brexit concerns. On 28 February, Eustice said in a letter of resignation that he believed Theresa May’s management of Article 50 would lead the EU to be “dictating the terms” of Brexit negotiations – and risk leaving the UK “humiliated”.

The MP said at the time that, although he had originally campaigned to leave, he had always supported a compromise position to “achieve reconciliation in our country” and had “stuck with the government through a series of rather undignified retreats”.

Now, with pro-Brexit Johnson at the helm, long-term Brexiteer Eustice has resumed his Ministerial post at the Department for Food, the Environment and Rural Affairs (Defra), covering Agriculture, Fisheries and Farming. As such, he will play a key role in developing the UK’s forthcoming Agriculture Bill and Fisheries Bill, designed to preserve standards after Brexit which he played a major role in writing.

He had spent the previous four years at DEFRA as Minister for Farming and Fishing before his resignation.

Former NFYFC chair, Sherwood MP Mark Spencer has been announced as Chief Whip following Boris Johnson’s victory in the Conservative leadership election.