Mary Creagh has confirmed that she is being replaced as the Minister responsible for Waste and the Circular Economy.
Creagh was appointed Minister for Nature in 2024 when Steve Reed was the Environment Secretary and retained the position when then Prime Minister Keir Starmer reshuffled his cabinet and appointed Emma Reynolds to the role.
However, Creagh has confirmed that she is being replaced and said she was ‘very sorry’ to be leaving government.
In a statement, Creagh said she was proud to have served as the UK’s first Nature Minister.
“From releasing beavers, three new national forests, progress on circular economy, food waste, and fly tippers, I’m grateful to have served with (sic) brilliant Defra team,” she said.
“I’m very sorry to be leaving government, but that’s politics. I will be supporting our new prime minister from the back benches.”
She previously congratulated Dame Angela Eagle on her appointment as Environment Secretary, calling her a friend.
A spokesperson for the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management (CIWM) thanked Mary Creagh for her work as Minister.
“She has played an important role in pushing the transition to a more circular economy, including progress on key reforms across resources and waste. We wish her every success in her next role,” the spokesperson continued.
“We look forward to working with the incoming Minister to help deliver the government’s circular economy ambitions, supporting the development of the policies, infrastructure and skills needed to accelerate the UK’s transition to a more resource-efficient future.”
“The first step towards achieving these goals must be for the government to release the long-delayed Circular Economy Growth Plan, which will provide much-needed clarity on policy for business, local authorities, and the wider sector.”
The UK government has said it intends to publish its delayed Circular Economy Growth Plan ‘soon’, but has not given a firm publication date.
The Plan was originally expected to be published in October last year but has been delayed.
Creagh was elected MP for Coventry East in July, having previously served as MP for Wakefield from 2005 until 2019, when she lost her re-election bid to Conservative Candidate Imran Ahmad-Khan.
She served as Shadow Environment Secretary between 2010 and 2013 when Ed Miliband, the newly appointed Foreign Secretary, was Labour leader. She also chaired the Environmental Audit Committee between 2016 and 2019.