Angela Eagle named Environment Secretary as BASC seeks early meeting

Dame Angela Eagle has been appointed Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s new Cabinet, and shooting organisations moved quickly to press the sector’s case. BASC wrote to the new Environment Secretary on Tuesday, asking to meet her at the earliest opportunity over the uncertainty caused by Natural England’s approach to gamebird release licensing.

Who is the new Environment Secretary?

Ms Eagle’s move is a promotion from within the department: she served as a Defra Minister of State, with a brief spanning food security and rural affairs, before a short spell as Security Minister in June’s reshuffle. She replaces Emma Reynolds, who becomes Chief Secretary to the Treasury.

The Countryside Alliance, in its analysis of the appointments, noted that the MP for Wallasey represents a fully urban Merseyside seat, but that rural eyes “may hope for some compensation from her recent experience of these policy areas”. Shabana Mahmood stays at the Home Office, keeping firearms licensing under the same Home Secretary.

What has BASC asked for?

The letter from BASC vice chair Claire Sadler welcomed Ms Eagle to the role and set out how sustainable shooting supports Defra’s priorities, from woodland creation and habitat restoration to biodiversity gains and sustaining rural livelihoods. It also raised the disruption caused to this year’s game season by Natural England’s approach to gamebird release licensing, citing the recent High Court judgment which found the regulator had acted outside its powers.

Jak Abrahams, BASC director of public affairs, said: “We welcome Dame Angela Eagle to her new role. We look forward to building a strong and constructive working relationship with her and her team as we work towards a vibrant and thriving countryside where sustainable shooting continues to drive nature recovery, support rural jobs and deliver for the wider rural economy.”

He added: “There are pressing issues on which we are keen to engage early on, not least the uncertainty Natural England has caused on our sector and we have asked to meet the Secretary of State at the earliest opportunity.”

How has the wider countryside responded?

The Countryside Alliance said the new Government’s task was to rebuild trust with rural Britain, arguing: “That can only be done by dropping the toxic culture war on the countryside – exemplified by policies such as the Family Farm Tax, proposed ban on trail hunting, and restrictions on shooting – and by working with rural communities, not against them.” The alliance also welcomed Ms Mahmood’s retention at the Home Office as it presses for firearms licensing to be consolidated under a single national body.

What happens next

Junior ministerial appointments, including the nature brief that oversees gamebird release licensing, are expected over the coming days, with portfolio responsibilities confirmed after that. The Game Fair opens at Ragley Hall on Friday 24 July, in the new Secretary of State’s first week in the job. BASC’s letter and statement are at basc.org.uk, and the alliance’s analysis is at countryside-alliance.org.