Liz Truss looks set to join the cabinet as environment secretary, as part of David Cameron's reshuffle according to the BBC.

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Prior to entering Parliament, Elizabeth was Deputy Director at the think-tank Reform, where she advocated more rigorous academic standards in schools, a greater focus on tackling serious and organised crime and urgent action to deal with Britain's falling competitiveness. Elizabeth worked in the energy and telecommunications industry for ten years as a commercial manager and economics director and is a qualified management accountant.

Brought up in Yorkshire, Elizabeth read Philosophy, Politics and Economics at Merton College, Oxford University. Elizabeth has been a member of the Conservative Party for the past seventeen years. She has served as an Association Chairman and a councillor and fought parliamentary seats in 2001 and 2005. Elizabeth is married with two daughters, and lives in Downham Market and London.

Although the NFU had lobbied to save Paterson in the run-up to Cameron's reshuffle (the Tory right-winger had proven popular with the union despite his hard line on subsidy payments), green groups welcomed the appointment of Ms Truss on Monday evening. 

Paterson, who replaced Caroline Spelman in 2012, shortly after the former environment secretary was forced into a U-turn over plans to sell off the public forestry estate, also presided over an unsettled two years at Defra. The badger cull, slow handling of flooding in the South West and a misunderstanding of climate science led to a series of embarrassments for the government during his time in charge.

In 2012, Paterson was also the only cabinet member to oppose same-sex marriage.  

NFU President Meurig Raymond commented on Paterson's replacement, "He showed an understanding of farmers and the farming industry and knew how important food production and food security is."

Raymond added, "I look forward to meeting with Liz Truss at the earliest opportunity and working together on some of the key issues facing our sector."

Andy Atkins, executive director of Friends of the Earth, whose campaigners dumped muddy wellies at Defra HQ last week, calling on Mr Cameron to 'Give Owen Paterson the boot', said of the outgoing secretary of state, "He's the worst Environment Secretary the UK has had for decades.

"Mr Paterson has wilfully ignored scientific evidence on climate change, championed pesticide firms instead of bees and massively underinvested in flood defences, leaving thousands of households at risk of future flooding. His successor must show they are serious about safeguarding Britain's environment and protecting the nation from the growing threat of global climate change."