FOLLOWING his successful election campaign, Okehampton's MP Mel Stride has received a promotion within the Government.

Mr Stride, MP for Central Devon, has been promoted within the Government Whips' Office to Lord Commissioner and Pairing Whip. It will be Mr Stride's responsibility to ensure that the Government maintains its majority in all votes — an important role considering the Conservatives' slender majority in the House of Commons.

Mr Stride said: 'This is a critical role in ensuring that we maintain an effective working majority in Parliament. I am delighted to have the opportunity to serve in this way and look forward to working closely with my colleagues right across the parliamentary party in delivering on our manifesto commitments.'

After his appointment to the role Mr Stride met with Prime Minister David Cameron for dinner on May 12 to discuss his new role. Mr Stride realises the difficulties ahead in the role but hopes to rise to the challenge.

He said: 'There will undoubtedly be a number of tight votes ahead and it is my role to secure a majority on each occasion. The party is very united at the moment and I will be working hard to ensure that it remains that way.'

Mr Stride describes the atmosphere in Westminster since the election as 'very positive and upbeat', with an 'eagerness to get on with governing and meeting the challenges ahead'.

He has previously worked as a PPS to John Hayes MP, former skills minister, minister of state at the department of energy and climate change. When Mr Hayes was promoted to become minister of state in the cabinet office and senior parliamentary advisor to David Cameron, Mr Stride worked at the heart of government with significant time spent in Number 10. In the July 2014 reshuffle he was promoted as a minister in the Whips' Office.

In the general election Mr Stride received 52% of the votes in the Central Devon polls with 28,436 votes, over 21,000 votes ahead of the UKIP representative Mr John Conway. He said the result was 'very humbling and representing Central Devon is the greatest honour of my life'.