BREAKING NEWS: Northants MP Andrea Leadsom becomes Defra Secretary in May's new cabinet

At the start of the week the 53-year-old former banker looked all set to face new Prime Minister Theresa May in a two-way battle for the Conservative leadership.

However the Brexiteer pulled out of the bid on Monday morning when she said she only had the support of 25 per cent of Tory MPs.

In the last few minutes Mrs Leadsom has been named as the Secretary of State for the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, commonly known as Defra.

She had already held a ministerial role as Energy Secretary.

She replaces Liz Truss, who had been Defra Secretary since July 2014 and who has now been appointed Justice Secretary.