Yp Comment: Gove: A Minister on a mission

Michael gove is both a surprising and intriguing choice as Environment Secretary. Surprising because he appears to have no experience of farming, and that his '˜know-it-all' approach does not always help the Tory party's image; intriguing because Mr Gove is a political '˜big beast' whose presence at Defra might help to raise the rural economy's profile.

An architect and advocate of Brexit, it now falls to Mr Gove to come up with a new system of farm subsidies which will replace the Common Agricultural Policy in 2019. However, if he’s to win the grudging respect of farmers, he needs to listen to, and respect, those who work the land. If he starts a turf war which is akin to his past battles with the teaching profession, there will only be one winner – and it won’t be the Minister in his new wellies.

Yet, as Mr Gove becomes acquainted with his new brief, his reward for the loyalty he has shown towards Mrs May since being sacked last summer, he needs to be working tirelessly on behalf of Britain’s food producers. And that does not just mean fact-finding trips to events like next month’s Great Yorkshire Show – it also means persuading every Government department and quango to promote UK food and drink. If he can persuade his old foe Boris Johnson at the Foreign Office to become a global ambassador for UK farmers, not only will it show that this Government can make a difference – but that humble pie is off the menu.