THE MP for North East Hampshire has been appointed as Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs by new Prime Minister Liz Truss. 

Ranil Jayawardena was appointed in the position as the PM appointed her new cabinet on Tuesday, September 6. Mr Jayawardena was Minister for International Trade from May 2020.

Posting on Twitter, the Mr Jayawardena said: "It is a privilege to be appointed the Secretary of State for DefraGovUK.

"From food security and backing British farmers, to water security and growing our rural economy, I know that there is much to do.

"It is so important to recognise where our food comes from."

READ MORE: Liz Truss becomes the new Prime Minister after audience with the Queen

Kit Malthouse, MP for North West Hampshire, was appointed as the next education secretary. In July Mr Malthouse was made Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, after a number of ministers resigned in the wake of controversies surrounding the former PM Boris Johnson. 

Mr Malthouse has become the ninth education secretary in the past 12 years.

Earlier this week the MP congratulated Ms Truss on her election as the new Conservative Party leader and becoming PM.

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He said: "Many congratulations to Liz Truss on becoming the new leader of the Conservative Party.

“Liz ran a vigorous and forthright campaign and I know she will bring the same determination, energy and drive to confronting the big challenges facing the country, not least during the difficult winter that lies ahead.

“For my part, I’ve spent the summer bringing together a powerful delivery engine in the Cabinet Office so that our new prime minister can get motoring fast, and knowing Liz as I do, I’m certain she will do exactly that.”