In his new role, he will attend the daily Downing Street lobby briefings, join the Prime Minister or senior ministers on foreign trips and cover the latest debates in the House of Commons.
Mr Chapman started his career on the Southern Daily Echo where he worked for two years and undertook training. After a break at university, he started to freelance for the Daily Telegraph, the Mail on Sunday and the Basingstoke Gazette, before later joining the Daily Mail.
He got a taste for the lobby in 2003 after covering the Hutton Inquiry.
"Westminster is a story factory, and you can end up writing about almost any subject," he said.
His advice to young journalists is to delve into the industry and absorb as much information as you can.
"If you are serious about it, you have to know newspapers inside out, and it's also worth keeping an eye on the trade publications.
"I still think local and regional newspapers can't be beaten as a place to cut your teeth. Many of them have political correspondents based in Westminster, and getting one of those jobs is a great way to make a name for yourself in the lobby."
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