STEPHEN O’Brien, MP for Eddisbury, has been appointed Minister for International Development in the new coalition government.
Conservative Mr O’Brien, who had a whopping majority of more than 13,000 votes in the General Election, was one of the front-runners to be named one of David Cameron’s Ministers of State for Health.
However, those roles went to Simon Burns and Lib Dem Paul Burstow, but Mr O’Brien is delighted to have been handed the new ministerial role, under Secretary Alan Duncan.
He said: “I’m thrilled to have been invited by the Prime Minister to join the new Government, in particular for international development, which relates to many of the interests and activities that I have been involved with politically and personally for the last 20 years.
“I have the opportunity to contribute to decisions which can transform the lives of millions of people around the world on behalf of the British tax payers who fund development work in some of the poorest countries.”
Mr O’Brien admits that the positions the Tory MPs were shadowing previously would change once it became clear there would be a coalition.
But he says he is looking forward to working alongside the Lib Dems.
“It is a new style of politics that will take some getting use to, but it is incumbent upon us to make sure we take this strong and stable coalition government forward and deliver what the British people want.”
Mr O’Brien, who lives at Haughton near Nantwich with wife Gemma, has reassured voters that he would continue to work hard for them.
He said: “I give all my constituents this pledge, that regardless of political persuasion I will always work hard for each and every one of them, and I will always fight to defend them and our areas’ interests.”
