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Norman Lamb, the Liberal Democrat's political advisor to Nick Clegg, is a busy man.

Entering his office in the House of Commons he's trying to send a text message to Nick Clegg.

For the last hour he's been interviewed by the , which is making a film for the civil service about how the coalition Government works.

Before that, he was lurking behind the Speaker's chair watching the reaction of his MPs during .

He's returned to the office to find the agenda for a Cabinet away day at and is wondering if he needs to go... and in 40 minutes he's due in Downing Street for a meeting with Ed Llewelyn, David Cameron's right-hand man.

One afternoon in the life of someone who's at the heart of Government.

The MP for North Norfolk says being political advisor to Nick Clegg and one of the back office lynchpins of the coalition Government is a surreal experience. He says he often has to pinch himself.

"It's been quite extraordinary. We are all in completely new territory. We're conditioned to being on the outside looking in. Suddenly you find yourself in Downing Street attending meetings and with a room in the cabinet office."

His job is to work behind the scenes holding meetings with his Conservative partners to spot problems and resolve them before they become a big deal.

He believes the coalition government has made an "assured start" despite a handful of Lib Dem MPs (including Colchester's Bob Russell) voting against the VAT increase. He accepts that there will be differences between the partners from time to time but appears unconcerned.

"There is no inconsistency between having strong principles and different philosophies coming together to deliver a programme for the national interest."

The trick he says is to keep talking to people and to make everyone in the party feel part of the Government.

"I always take the view that problems aren't insurmountable, the quicker an issue is dealt with stops it building up a head of steam"

He warns though that a lot of challenges lie ahead "and there'll be an awful lot more as the cuts begin to bite".

So will he be making his MPs vote for policies they don't agree with?

"We must remember that we are acting in the national interest by providing stable government and we have to act in accordance to make sure it works."

Is that the faint whiff of a whip in its tone?

Of course, he is now a whip. From Whig to whip in a few short weeks.

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