Rob Merrick has been appointed lobby editor of an expanded parliamentary service for regional and specialist media, following The Press Association's purchase of Central Press Features.

The move creates a five-strong team in the Westminster lobby, offering dedicated coverage of parliamentary affairs for regional newspapers and television stations, magazines and websites.

It will merge PA's Westminster News, launched four years ago, under the banner of Central Press, which has operated a Westminster-based lobby service for more than 135 years. The amalgamated service will be called the Central Press Lobby.

The service offers a nominated correspondent to provide in-depth coverage of Government and parliament, which is tailor-made for each individual client and with the correspondent reporting directly to the customer's newsdesk.

Rob, (33), said: "It will allow us to serve other regional papers and media who can see the obvious benefits of having a dedicated correspondent at Westminster, but are unable to employ their own."

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