South Holland MP John Hayes has been promoted to the role of key adviser for the prime minister with the news today that he is to be moved to the Cabinet Office.

Mr Hayes will become one of David Cameron’s parliamentary advisers with a remit to act as link man with backbench MPs.

The move is part of a mini cabinet reshuffle designed to bolster Mr Cameron’s backbencher links.

The PM has suffered a series of rifts with a sizeable portion of his backbenchers recently over issues including gay marriage, Europe and Lords reform.

It is believed the appointment has been made because Mr Hayes is a popular figure with the parliamentary party who also gets on with Mr Cameron who will be capable of smoothing relations.

During a debate on energy infrastructures this week, Mr Hayes, 54, said: “Some say I’m the people’s voice.

“I would not want to claim that myself but it is certainly true that the people’s interests are close to my heart.”

Mr Hayes, MP for South Holland and The Deepings, is a renowned anti wind turbine politician and has had public differences of opinion at the Department for Energy and Climate Change with the Lib Dem Energy Secretary, Ed Davey.

Their most noted difference was in November when they clashed over onshore wind turbine policy.

He is an ardent Tory supporter having joined the party as a Young Conservative at the age of 14 moving on to chair a Young Tory group at the age of just 15.

In 2005 Mr Cameron appointed him as Shadow Minister for vocational education and from 2007 -2010 he was Shadow Minister for Lifelong Learning, Further and Higher Education.

In 2010 Mr Hayes joined the new Government and in July of that year was made Minister of State for the Department of Education.