Jim McMahon has been announced as Labour's new Shadow Defra Secretary following Sir Keir Starmer's shadow cabinet reshuffle.
The MP for Oldham West and Royton gains the top position from Luke Pollard, MP for Plymouth Sutton and Devonport, who had been Defra Secretary since 2019.
Mr McMahon was Labour's Shadow Transport Secretary prior to his new post.
In a tweet published on Monday (29 November), he said he was 'looking forward' to the role.
I’ve enjoyed and relished leading on Transport for @UKLabour and I’m looking forward to getting stuck in to a new Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA).
— Jim McMahon MP (@JimfromOldham) November 29, 2021
Following the footsteps of my predecessor Michael Meacher in fact.#LabourReshuffle
As part of Labour's first NFU Conference speech since 2008, Sir Keir Starmer highlighted earlier this year how the future can be bright for British farming.
Sir Keir addressed the conference in February, saying that 'farming matters' to Labour and that it 'stands with' farmers and rural areas.
He used the platform to encourage the government to do more to buy British food, addressed issues regarding farm payments and agricultural skills.
