When he launched the government’s long-delayed food strategy in December, then environment secretary Steve Reed promised no more “random interventions”. He also vowed to create a joined-up industry coalition to tackle food’s biggest health and environmental challenges.

Nine months later he was gone (sent to replace Angela Rayner as housing minister) as part of a crisis reshuffle by prime minister Keir Starmer. The changes also saw farming minister Daniel Zeichner – the man who had been leading the food strategy – sacked before a single one of its new policies could get off the ground.

Brought in to replace them, amid a crisis over food inflation, came Emma Reynolds from the Treasury and veteran MP Angela Eagle, with a new mission from Starmer and Chancellor Rachel Reeves to kickstart growth.