Liz Truss, who retained her seat in South-West Norfolk on Thursday, will continue as Defra Secretary, it has been announced.

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Whilst the NFU welcomed Truss’ appointment on Monday, with president Meurig Raymond stating that “We look forward to working with Liz Truss... as we have done for the last 10 months,” early indications emerged of conflicts over which she will preside. As the NFU demanded more information on Tory promises to roll out culling to ten new areas, animal welfare campaigners called on the Secretary of State to scrap the cull, which they say has been ineffective, inhumane and will cost taxpayers millions of pounds.
 
On Monday, Meurig Raymond said, “We are urging the Government to make an announcement as soon as possible on further roll-out of badger culling to areas where TB in endemic and to implement the 25-year TB Eradication Strategy in full as quickly as possible.”

However, Humane Society International’s Claire Bass, said, “The badger cull has already proven to be a very expensive and ineffective animal welfare disaster. Liz Truss has a chance to stop this madness, and instead focus valuable resources on science-led and farm-focused measures that will actually tackle bovine TB effectively.”

Bass demanded, “Austerity Must Start with Ending [Defra’s] Multi-Million Pound Badger Cull” plans.