Felixstowe MP Thérèse Coffey has been named deputy prime minister just hours after Liz Truss was appointed PM by the Queen at Balmoral, 

It was widely acknowledged that the Suffolk Coastal member of parliament would be named Secretary of State for Health and Social care, which she has now become, but her loyalty to neighbour MP Ms Truss throughout the leadership campaign.

Felixstowe Nub News tipped Ms Coffey to be the new Health Secretary

But she has also been appointed as the first ever woman deputy prime minister as PM Truss picks her government.

As Ms Coffey left Downing Street this evening she told awaiting journalists: "I'm very excited thank you."

Thérèse Coffey watching the Seasiders (Picture credit: Ian Evans/Nub News)

Ms Coffey, whose second team is Felixstowe and Walton United, although Liverpool FC is her first choice.

Elected in 2010 to represent Suffolk Coastal, she was perviously the Work and Pension secretary and has worked in a senior role at the the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs from 2016 to 2019, before serving under Prime Minister Boris Johnson as a Minister of State at the same department from July to September 2019.

According to Wikipedia, Coffey was born on 18 November 1971 in Billinge, Lancashire; she grew up in Liverpool. She attended St Mary's College, Rhos on Sea and St Edward's College, Liverpool.[2]

She attended Somerville College, Oxford, where she was involved with the Oxford Union.

She then attended University College London, where she was awarded a PhD in chemistry in 1998.] After graduating Coffey worked in a number of roles for Mars, then worked for the BBC as a finance manager in the Property division.

Thérèse Coffey with Nub News editor Derek Davis

Coffey stood as Conservative Party candidate for Wrexham at the 2005 general election. She came third with 6,079 votes (20% of the vote).[9]

In the European Parliament elections in June 2004, Coffey stood for election to the European Parliament for South East England.[10] The Conservative Party won 35.2% of the vote, giving it four seats, but Coffey was seventh on the list in this proportional representation system, meaning that she was not elected.

In 2009, at the next European elections, Coffey was living in Andover, Hampshire; she missed out by one place on being elected to the European Parliament for South East England. The Conservative Party won 34.79% of the vote, giving it four seats, but she was fifth on the party list.