Staffordshire's Gavin Williamson and Patrick McLoughlin take top Tory roles as Theresa May shapes Cabinet

Mr Williamson, who has been an MP since 2010 and was previously David Cameron's parliamentary private secretary, will take charge of ensuring his fellow Conservative MPs support the Government as much as possible.

Born and bred in Scarborough, Gavin Williamson studied science in Bradford before moving to Staffordshire to work in the pottery industry.

He is married with two daughters and was elected as MP for South Staffordshire in 2010, joining Parliament at the same time that David Cameron became prime minister.

Mr Williamson has been a loyal MP and has never rebelled against his party - a likely reason for his promotion to chief whip.

The 40-year-old has been a parliamentary private secretary for several ministers, including Patrick McLoughlin at transport and most recently David Cameron.

Mr Williamson campaigned for the UK to remain in the European Union in the build up to the June referendum before leading Theresa May's campaign bid.

This week he joined forces with Stafford MP Jeremy Lefroy to oppose the planned West Midlands Interchange at Gailey.

He described the role as "not bad" as he left Downing Street and later said he was 'very privileged' and 'very surprised' at being handed the role, which will see him move in down the road from the Prime Minister at number 12.

Mr Williamson was one of a raft of appointments on the first full day of Theresa May's term as Prime Minister, which included the appointment of Patrick McLoughlin as Tory party chairman.

The former transport secretary, who was born in Stafford into a family of coal miners, said he was 'delighted' to accept his new role as Conservative chairman and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.

He described the post as 'an incredibly important job'.

"I want us to encourage more people to join the party."

Born in Stafford into a family of coal miners, Patrick McLoughlin worked as a farmer for five years before turning to mining himself at Littleton Colliery in Cannock.

He was a union member sat on Staffordshire County Council and Cannock Chase District Council for much of the 1980s during a period of regular industrial unrest.

The father of two has been MP for Derbyshire Dales since 1986 and has held a number of front bench positions, including Gavin Williamson's new position as chief whip at the beginning of the coalition government.

In 2012 he moved from the whip's office to the Department of Transport, where he remained secretary of state until Theresa May made him Conservative Party chairman this week.

Elsewhere, Michael Gove has been replaced as Justice Secretary by Liz Truss, who becomes the first female Lord Chancellor in the thousand-year history of the role.

Ms Truss was one of two Cabinet women to be promoted on the second day of appointments to Theresa May's new Government, with Justine Greening also appointed Education Secretary and minister for women and equalities.

Sacked Mr Gove joins ex-chancellor George Osborne on the backbenches in a dramatic reshaping of the Cabinet team, which also saw David Cameron's education secretary Nicky Morgan, culture secretary John Whittingdale and chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Oliver Letwin leave the Government.

The changes came as Mrs May returned to Downing Street on Thursday morning to continue building her new Cabinet team.

Arriving at the Ministry of Justice, Liz Truss said she was "delighted" at being appointed Justice Secretary.

Asked if she had any plans, she said: "Well, it's early days."

Under changes to the machinery of Government introduced by Mrs May, responsibility for higher and further education will return to the Department for Education (DfE) after nine years.

The DfE will also take over the skills and apprenticeship portfolios from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), in a move which Downing Street said was designed to provide "a comprehensive end-to-end view of skills and education".

Responsibility for post-school education was transferred to the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills by Gordon Brown in 2007 before moving to BIS in 2009.

The change will fuel speculation that Mrs May plans to merge BIS with the Department of Energy and Climate Change in a new overarching business ministry.

The new Education Secretary, who smiled at the waiting press, said she was "delighted" with her role.