Copeland MP Trudy Harrison has been appointed Boris Johnson’s Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS).

She has previously served as PPS to the Ministry of Defence; Department for Transport and most recently directly to the Secretary of State for Education, Gavin Williamson, who visited Whitehaven last month.

Accepting the role today Mrs Harrison said: “Boris and I had a conversation about our shared priorities for the North including, of course, securing a strong nuclear future. His commitment to unleashing the potential across the UK inspired my decision to accept.

“To serve the Prime Minister so closely in Parliament is a huge responsibility and an honour and one which I will take incredibly seriously.”

A Parliamentary Private Secretary PPS is appointed by a minister to be his or her assistant. He or she is selected from backbench MPs as the 'eyes and ears' of the minister in the House of Commons.

Mrs Harrison added: “The sense of responsibility is huge but it’s also the greatest opportunity to shape change and influence decisions about the Copeland community I care for and which has so much potential.”