George Eustice has been sacked from his Defra role by new prime minister Liz Truss.

The Camborne and Redruth MP has been Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs since February 13, 2020 but was given his marching orders yesterday (Tuesday) by the latest Conservative PM.

In a statement on his departure from the Cabinet last night, Eustice said: “It has been a privilege to have been a Defra minister for the past nine years, under three different prime ministers, including almost three years in Cabinet during the most challenging of times.

“I will now offer scrutiny and advice from the backbenches.”

Eustice had been a supporter of Conservative leadership contender Rishi Sunak who he welcomed to Cornwall early last month, saying: "Great to see Rishi Sunak in Cornwall yesterday.

"We need a Prime Minister with good judgement and an ability to grasp detail in these challenging times. That is why I am backing Rishi to be our next leader."

Eustice is a born and bred Cornish man from a farming background.

He grew up at Trevaskis Fruit Farm near Hayle, which his family continues to run. They also have a herd of South Devon cattle, and the country's oldest herd of the rare breed pig, the British Lop.

Eustice went to Truro Cathedral School before moving through Truro School and finally, Cornwall College at Pool.

He was elected as the Conservative MP for Camborne and Redruth in 2010. The vote required a recount as his majority was just 66 voters more than the Liberal Democrat incumbent Julia Goldsworthy.

Three years later he was appointed Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for farming, food and marine environment, rising to Minister of State for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in 2015 before becoming Minister of State in 2019.

On Monday, while still Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Eustice defended the government's handling of the ongoing raw sewage discharges around the country. "The cost of completely removing storm overflows is around £600billion; to reduce use of them so they are not used in an average year would be £200billion,” he said.

“What we have chosen to do is spend £56billion to target the most harmful sewer discharges and this will lead to significant change in years ahead.”

In 2012 Eustice successfully fought against what became known as the 'pasty tax', the addition of VAT to hot takeaway food.

He said: "In my discussions with the Treasury, the idea of introducing the further condition of an exemption for hot food that had not been cooked to order emerged.

"This works well for the Cornish pasty because it takes the best part of an hour to cook a pasty so no one would ever have one cooked to order.

"It was a neat compromise and I am delighted that the Treasury have finally given this idea the green light."

The new Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is Ranil Jayawardena. The Conservative MP for North East Hampshire since 2015, he has been the Minister for International Trade since 2020.

Jayawardena studied government at the London School of Economics and Political Science and has worked for the Lloyds Banking Group.