Therese Coffey stays in Cabinet as Sunak’s Environment Secretary

Suffolk Coastal MP Dr Therese Coffey has lost her role as Deputy Prime Minister as Rishi Sunak created his own cabinet after taking over as Prime Minister.

But unlike other Liz Truss loyalists, she kept a place at the cabinet table as he carried out a thorough reshuffle.

She was appointed Environment Secretary – also responsible for food and farming.

As a junior minister she spent a lot of time in that department and knows it well – she also has an important farming sector in her Suffolk Coastal constituency.

Her appointment will be noted with interest by conservation bodies in her constituency, particularly the RSPB and National Trust who are fighting plans for Sizewell C.

Chloe Smith was sacked by Rishi Sunak. – Credit: PA

Other East Anglian MPs were not so lucky – all three Norfolk cabinet ministers – Ms Truss herself, Great Yarmouth MP Brandon Lewis and Norwich North MP Chloe Smith were sent to the backbenchers as Mr Sunak wielded his axe.

Brandon Lewis is no longer Justice Secretary. – Credit: PA

However, Braintree MP James Cleverly, who was appointed to Foreign Secretary and backed Boris Johnson during the former PM’s flirtation with standing again at the weekend, kept his job in a move seen as trying to heal the divisions within the Conservative Party.

Braintree MP James Cleverly remains as Foreign Secretary. – Credit: PA

Dr Coffey’s arrival at the Department of Health was not without controversy – she suggested that if nurses were not happy with their pay they could find other jobs.

And she upset clinicians by saying that pharmacists should be able to dispense antibiotics without the need for a prescription.

One of her harshest critics was neighbouring MP Dr Dan Poulter criticised her reluctance to back public health campaigns against smoking and obesity.

Cambridgeshire MP Steve Barclay was Health and Social Care Secretary before Dr Coffey was also in Number 10 – and had been seen as a good appointment by health professionals.

There was some speculation that there was a debate behind the scenes over their appointments during the afternoon.

But there is likely to be a general welcome for his appointment in surgeries and hospitals across the country.