The undersecretary of state at Defra commands respect for his expertise on the Middle East. Enemies of terrestrial biodiversity should prove no problem at allRory Stewart was one of the more curious appointments to the Conservatives’ government team in May. The surprise was not that David Cameron should ask Stewart to join his team – there are a great many far less talented ministers shuffling papers into red boxes in the outer reaches of Westminster – but that Stewart should agree to become parliamentary undersecretary of state for environment,food and rural affairs. Junior ministers don’t catch much more junior than this.
As a free agent on the Conservative backbenches, Stewart had swagger. His views on international diplomacy in the Middle East were taken seriously and as chair of the Commons defence select committee he had genuine influence. Now his main concerns are hedgehogs. Even for a man who represents a rural constituency and has a natural affinity for the great outdoors, and this is something of a comedown.
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Source: theguardian.com