The Right Honourable Sir
Alok Sharma
KCMG MP
Official portrait, 2021
President for COP26[lower-alpha 1]
In office
8 January 2021 – 20 November 2022
Prime Minister
Preceded byOffice established
Succeeded byOffice abolished
Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
In office
13 February 2020 – 8 January 2021
Prime MinisterBoris Johnson
Preceded byAndrea Leadsom
Succeeded byKwasi Kwarteng
Secretary of State for International Development
In office
24 July 2019 – 13 February 2020
Prime MinisterBoris Johnson
Preceded byRory Stewart
Succeeded byAnne-Marie Trevelyan
Minister of State for Employment
In office
9 January 2018 – 24 July 2019
Prime MinisterTheresa May
Preceded byDamian Hinds
Succeeded byMims Davies
Minister of State for Housing
In office
14 June 2017 – 9 January 2018
Prime MinisterTheresa May
Preceded byGavin Barwell
Succeeded byDominic Raab
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Asia and the Pacific
In office
17 July 2016 – 13 June 2017
Prime MinisterTheresa May
Preceded byJames Duddridge
Succeeded byMark Field
Member of Parliament
for Reading West
Assumed office
6 May 2010
Preceded byMartin Salter
Majority4,117 (8.2%)
Personal details
Born (1967-09-07) 7 September 1967
Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India
Political partyConservative
Children2
EducationUniversity of Salford

Sir Alok Kumar Sharma KCMG (born 7 September 1967[2]) is a British Conservative Party politician who served as President for COP26 from 2021 to 2022, having previously served as Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy from 2020 to 2021 and Secretary of State for International Development from 2019 to 2020. He has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Reading West since 2010.

Sharma served in Theresa May's government as Minister of State for Housing from 2017 to 2018 and as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Employment from 2018 to 2019. In 2019, he was appointed to Boris Johnson's cabinet as Secretary of State for International Development. In the 2020 cabinet reshuffle he was promoted to Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, an office in which he served until 2021. Sharma was President of the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) and negotiated the Glasgow Climate Pact.[3][4]

Early life and career

Sharma was born in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India, and moved to Reading with his parents when he was five years old. He is a Hindu.[5][6] His father, Prem, was involved in Conservative politics in Reading, and became chairman of the Berkshire area of Conservatives before helping to establish the Conservative Friends of India.[7]

Sharma was brought up in Earley and Whitley Wood and attended Presentation College, Reading Blue Coat School in Sonning[8] and the University of Salford, from where he graduated with a BSc in Applied Physics with Electronics in 1988.[9]

He subsequently qualified as a chartered accountant, training with Deloitte Haskins & Sells in Manchester before moving into corporate finance advisory with Nikko Securities and then Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken, where he held senior roles based in London, Stockholm and Frankfurt.[10] Sharma was an adviser to clients in the corporate and private-equity sector on cross-border mergers and acquisitions, listings and restructurings.[11]

Sharma is a governor of a local primary school in Reading. Previously he served as a chairman of the political think-tank the Bow Group's Economic Affairs Committee.

Political career

Member of Parliament

Sharma was selected as the Conservative Party candidate for the Reading West constituency in 2006.[7] He was elected as the MP for Reading West in the 2010 general election, winning a majority of 6,004 after the retirement of the Labour MP Martin Salter.

In the 2015 general election he was re-elected with an increased majority of 6,650.[12]

In the 2017 general election, he won his seat with a reduced majority of 2,876.[12] On being re-elected, Sharma wrote on his website: "Having grown up locally in Reading and being very much a local Reading man, I am delighted to have been re-elected for a constituency in my home town".[13]

In the 2019 general election Sharma increased his majority to 4,117.[12]

On 26 September 2023, Sharma announced his intention to stand down at the next general election.[14]

Early parliamentary career (2010–2016)

Sharma served as a member of the Science and Technology Select Committee between July 2010 and February 2011[15] and the Treasury Select Committee between September 2014 and March 2015.[16]

Sharma was Conservative Party Vice-Chairman from 2012 to 2015[17] and co-chairman of Conservative Friends of India in 2014.[18]

In September 2011, Sharma was appointed Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) to Mark Hoban, the then Financial Secretary to the Treasury.[19] During his time as a PPS, Sharma sat on a number of public bill committees including two finance bills, the 2013 Banking Reform Bill and the 2011 Pensions Bill.[20] He also served as PPS to Sir Oliver Letwin, the former Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, who had overall responsibility for the Cabinet Office.

Following the death of two cyclists in Purley on Thames, Sharma campaigned in 2014 for longer prison sentences for those convicted of death by dangerous driving.[21] Sharma initiated a Parliamentary debate on the issue[22] and backed a petition, started by the families of victims, which gained more than 55,000 signatures.[23][24]

Sharma campaigned to reduce the number of first-class carriages on trains operating on the Great Western route between Reading and London. In January 2015, he held a meeting with Rail Minister Claire Perry and First Great Western managing director Mark Hopwood to discuss proposals to increase Standard Class capacity to reduce overcrowding.[25]

In 2016, Sharma was appointed as the Prime Minister's "Infrastructure Envoy to India".[10]

Junior minister (2016–2019)

Sharma at the British Museum to mark the 45th anniversary year of ambassadorial relations between the United Kingdom and the People's Republic of China, 2017

Sharma was Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office from July 2016 to June 2017.[26]

In June 2017 he was appointed Housing Minister, replacing Gavin Barwell, who lost his seat in the 2017 general election.[27]

As the Minister of State for Housing, Sharma was responsible for the Government's response to the Grenfell Tower fire. He attracted media attention when he was visibly moved while making a statement to the House of Commons on 5 July 2017.[28][29]

In January 2018, he became the Minister of State for Employment.[30]

Secretary of State for International Development (2019–2020)

Sharma, International Development Secretary, sees Ebola preparedness work in Uganda

Sharma was appointed Secretary of State for International Development by Boris Johnson following the resignation of Rory Stewart in July 2019. Upon assuming the role, he said: "I am delighted... We will work across the whole of government to deliver Brexit and make sure the United Kingdom's aid is tackling global challenges that affect us all".[31]

In October, Sharma stated he wanted to use the United Kingdom's leverage over the World Bank to focus the use of the nineteenth International Development Association fund on fighting climate change, building sustainable economies and promoting women's rights.[32]

Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (2020–2021)

Following the dismissal of Andrea Leadsom in the 2020 cabinet reshuffle, Sharma was appointed to the position of Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, taking office on 13 February.

As Secretary of State, Sharma was one of the government's speakers at the daily coronavirus pandemic briefings from Downing Street. In June 2020, he appeared visibly unwell while delivering a statement in the House of Commons.[33] Although he underwent a test for COVID-19 which came back negative, the situation led to questions being raised about the government's decision to end the use of the virtual parliament and make MPs return to the House of Commons chamber. Certain employees of the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy were advised not to return to their work by the Public and Commercial Services Union, who said that there was a lack of evidence that the department had provided enough preventative measures against the virus.[34]

In July 2020, Sharma instructed officials to purchase half of OneWeb, a satellite communications company, for $500 million.[35] The company was purchased from Chapter 11 bankruptcy by the United Kingdom's government and Bharti Enterprises.

With the help of Lord Callanan, Sharma introduced the National Security and Investment Act 2021 to Parliament.[36]

President for COP26 (2021–2022)

Sharma meeting with officials in New Delhi, India ahead of COP26.

In addition to his appointment as Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy on 13 February 2020, Sharma was also appointed President of the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26),[37] following the dismissal of Claire Perry O'Neill in January 2020. At that time the conference was planned for November 2020; in May 2020 it was rearranged for November 2021.[3] The Glasgow Climate Pact was negotiated at the conference under Sharma's Presidency.[38]

On 8 January 2021, Sharma left his position as Secretary of State to become President of COP26 on a full-time basis, and chair of the Climate Action Implementation Committee.[39] He moved to the Cabinet Office and retained his status as a full member of the cabinet.[40] Sharma formally served as a Minister of State in the Cabinet Office.[41]

Amid the July 2022 Conservative Party leadership election, Sharma threatened to resign if the winning candidate did not remain committed to the UK's net zero targets.[42] He was reappointed to his role by the Truss ministry on 6 September 2022.[43] Upon the appointment of Rishi Sunak as Prime Minister, Sharma retained the Presidency for COP26 but was removed from cabinet.[44] Sharma left office on 20 November 2022 following the closing plenary of COP27 held in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt.[45]

Sharma was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG) in the 2023 New Year Honours for services to tackling climate change.[46]

Political positions

Sharma with DFID Permanent Secretary Matthew Rycroft in 2019.

Free schools

Sharma supported the opening in his Reading West constituency of one of the first free schools in England: All Saints Junior School opened in September 2011 and received an 'outstanding' rating in its first Ofsted report.[47]

Sharma has also been appointed a patron of the Wren School, a new secondary free school opening in west Reading in September 2015. Sharma supported the West Reading Education Network in getting the new school approved and is helping the school to find an appropriate permanent site.[48][49]

Heathrow Airport

Sharma has been a vocal supporter of the expansion of Heathrow Airport and has spoken in support of increasing the number of airport runways in the South East of England, claiming that "a lack of hub capacity is costing the United Kingdom jobs and investment".[50][51] This is despite opposition in his own constituency. In 2009 he had opposed the third runway for the envionmentally unsustainable way it was being planned and had said: "A third runway at Heathrow would inflict huge damage to the environment and to the quality of life of millions of people. It is time for the government to abandon its plans for a third runway and, if a conservative government is elected, we will certainly stop this environmental disaster". He has argued that the expansion needs to be environmentally sustainable.[52]

East West Leaders' Forum

2017, Sharma speaking at a Hindu festival of Holi event at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Sharma set up the East West Leaders' Forum, a discussion forum between business leaders, to promote dialogue between the European Union, India and China. Theresa May, then Home Secretary, gave the keynote speech at the inaugural event, held in London in September 2014.[53][54]

Brexit

Sharma supported the United Kingdom remaining within the European Union prior to the 2016 referendum.[55] He backed Prime Minister Theresa May's Brexit withdrawal agreement in early 2019,[56] and subsequently supported Prime Minister Boris Johnson's withdrawal agreement in October 2019.[57]

Personal life

Sharma is married and lives in Caversham, Reading, with his wife and two daughters.[8] His wife is Swedish.[58][59] Sharma took his oath in the House of Commons on the Bhagavad Gita in 2019.[60]

Notes

  1. ↑ Sharma held full Cabinet-status as Minister of State for the Cabinet Office until 25 October 2022, when Rishi Sunak removed him from the Cabinet.[1]

References

  1. ↑ Sandle, Paul (25 October 2022). "UK's Sharma loses cabinet position in PM Sunak's reshuffle". Reuters. Archived from the original on 2 June 2023. Retrieved 2 June 2023.
  2. ↑ "Alok Sharma MP". BBC Democracy Live. BBC. Archived from the original on 3 March 2011. Retrieved 25 July 2010.
  3. 1 2 "New dates agreed for COP26 United Nations Climate Change Conference" (Press release). UK Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy; Alok Sharma. 28 May 2020. Archived from the original on 31 May 2021. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
  4. ↑ Rincon, Paul (14 November 2021). "COP26: New global climate deal struck in Glasgow". BBC News. Archived from the original on 13 November 2021. Retrieved 14 November 2021.
  5. ↑ "Indian-origin lawmakers Alok Sharma, Rishi Sunak take oath on Bhagwad Gita in UK's House of Commons". Hindustan Times. 18 December 2019. Archived from the original on 26 April 2020. Retrieved 13 January 2020.
  6. ↑ Stanford, Peter (15 April 2013). "Margaret Thatcher: 'She gave us a chance to climb up the social ladder'". The Daily Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on 27 June 2018. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
  7. 1 2 Roy, Amit (9 May 2010). "Agra-born Alok clocks biggest Tory swing - Delighted by victory, Father Prem recalls days of disdain". Telegraph India. Archived from the original on 29 March 2020. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
  8. 1 2 "As Reading West MP prepares to stand down the contest hots up". Newbury Today. 17 April 2010. Archived from the original on 29 September 2011. Retrieved 25 July 2010.
  9. ↑ Who's Who and Who Was Who. Sharma, Rt Hon. Alok, (born 7 Sept. 1967), PC 2019; MP (C) Reading West, since 2010; Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, since 2020. doi:10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.U251666. ISBN 978-0-19-954088-4. Archived from the original on 10 August 2021. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
  10. 1 2 "The Rt Hon Sir Alok Sharma KCMG MP". GOV.UK. Archived from the original on 2 June 2023. Retrieved 2 June 2023.
  11. ↑ "Alok Sharma". Conservative Party. Archived from the original on 16 May 2014. Retrieved 28 January 2015.
  12. 1 2 3 "Reading West parliamentary constituency – Election 2019". Archived from the original on 16 December 2019. Retrieved 22 June 2018 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  13. ↑ Noor, Poppy (14 June 2017). "A quick look at new housing minister Alok Sharma". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 15 February 2020. Retrieved 31 March 2019.
  14. ↑ "COP26 President Alok Sharma to stand down as MP at next election". BBC News. 27 September 2023. Retrieved 28 September 2023.
  15. ↑ Westminster, Department of the Official Report (Hansard), House of Commons. "House of Commons Hansard Debates for 14 Feb 2011 (pt 0003)". Archived from the original on 21 January 2020. Retrieved 29 August 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  16. ↑ "Treasury Committee - Membership - Committees - UK Parliament". committees.parliament.uk. Archived from the original on 19 November 2019. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
  17. ↑ "Alok Sharma becomes Tory vice-chairman". getreading.co.uk. 11 September 2012. Archived from the original on 31 March 2019. Retrieved 17 June 2021.
  18. ↑ "British MP Alok Sharma named CF India co-chairman". Business Standard India. 16 January 2014. Archived from the original on 10 August 2021. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
  19. ↑ "Good news for Alok". Reading Chronicle. 16 September 2010. Archived from the original on 4 September 2020. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
  20. ↑ "Alok Sharma MP, Reading West". TheyWorkForYou. Archived from the original on 30 July 2020. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
  21. ↑ Adkins, Natasha (8 December 2014). "Fiancées of two cyclists killed by drink-driver continue their campaign for change in sentencing law". Archived from the original on 27 May 2015. Retrieved 28 January 2015.
  22. ↑ "House of Commons Hansard Debates for 04 Nov 2014 (pt 0002)". Archived from the original on 10 January 2018. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
  23. ↑ Adkins, Natasha (5 November 2014). "Purley cyclists' deaths lead to parliamentary debate on sentencing for dangerous driving". Archived from the original on 4 December 2014. Retrieved 28 January 2015.
  24. ↑ "Archived Petition: Driver receives maximum sentence of 14 years per person that has been killed". Archived from the original on 11 February 2015. Retrieved 28 January 2015.
  25. ↑ Low, Jonathan (15 January 2015). "Alok Sharma: There's still more to be done on First Great Western trains". Archived from the original on 22 January 2015. Retrieved 28 January 2015.
  26. ↑ "Envoy sees more UK-Thai investment". Bangkok Post. 20 January 2017. Archived from the original on 6 January 2022. Retrieved 31 March 2018.
  27. ↑ Wilmore, James (13 June 2017). "New housing minister appointed to replace Barwell". Archived from the original on 24 June 2021. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
  28. ↑ Murphy, Joe (5 July 2017). "Housing minister Alok Sharma wipes away tears after telling Commons of meeting with Grenfell Tower fire survivors". London Evening Standard. Archived from the original on 9 July 2017. Retrieved 5 July 2017.
  29. ↑ "Grenfell fire: Minister visibly moved in Commons". BBC. 5 July 2017. Archived from the original on 5 July 2017. Retrieved 5 July 2017.
  30. ↑ Coates, Sam (9 January 2018). "May tries to inject fresh blood into government". The Times. London. Archived from the original on 28 July 2019. Retrieved 9 January 2018.(subscription required)
  31. ↑ "Alok Sharma has been appointed Secretary of State for International Development". GOV.UK. 24 July 2019. Archived from the original on 20 October 2019. Retrieved 4 October 2019.
  32. ↑ Elliott, Larry (20 October 2019). "UK urges World Bank to channel more money into tackling climate crisis". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 28 November 2019. Retrieved 27 November 2019.
  33. ↑ Sandhu, Serina (4 June 2020). "Alok Sharma: Business Secretary tested for coronavirus after looking unwell in House of Commons". inews. Archived from the original on 7 June 2020. Retrieved 7 June 2020.
  34. ↑ Syal, Rajeev (4 June 2020). "Alok Sharma receives negative coronavirus test result". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 6 June 2020. Retrieved 7 June 2020.
  35. ↑ "Ministerial direction for the purchase of OneWeb". gov.uk. 22 July 2020. Archived from the original on 25 July 2020. Retrieved 4 August 2020.
  36. ↑ "National Security and Investment Bill 2019-21". Parliament.UK. Archived from the original on 15 February 2021. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  37. ↑ "Alok Sharma appointed COP26 President" (Press release). GOV.UK. 18 February 2020. Archived from the original on 29 March 2020. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
  38. ↑ "Climate change: 'Fragile win' at COP26 summit under threat". BBC News. 24 January 2022. Retrieved 2 September 2022.
  39. ↑ "Alok Sharma becomes full-time COP26 president and Kwasi Kwarteng is appointed as Secretary of State for Business" (Press release). GOV.UK. 8 January 2021. Archived from the original on 8 January 2021. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
  40. ↑ Walker, Peter (8 January 2021). "Alok Sharma to work full-time on Cop26 climate conference preparation". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 8 January 2021. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
  41. ↑ "FOI2021 07221 REPLY.pdf". 26 April 2021. Archived from the original on 27 April 2021. Retrieved 9 June 2021.
  42. ↑ "Climate chief Alok Sharma warns: I may quit if new PM dumps net zero pledge". the Guardian. 16 July 2022. Retrieved 13 October 2022.
  43. ↑ "Liz Truss - live updates: New PM announces her cabinet as big names confirm departure". Sky News. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
  44. ↑ Sandle, Paul (25 October 2022). "UK's Sharma loses cabinet position in PM Sunak's reshuffle". Reuters. Archived from the original on 2 June 2023. Retrieved 2 June 2023.
  45. ↑ "COP26 President's speech at COP27 closing plenary". 20 November 2022.
  46. ↑ "No. 63918". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 December 2022. p. N4.
  47. ↑ Cassell, Paul (7 August 2013). "Reading's first free school picks up 'outstanding' Ofsted report". Archived from the original on 8 October 2015. Retrieved 28 January 2015.
  48. ↑ "Alok Sharma MP". The Wren School. Archived from the original on 6 April 2015. Retrieved 28 January 2015.
  49. ↑ Fort, Linda (4 December 2013). "Parents win victory in Elvian School site planning battle". Archived from the original on 7 April 2015. Retrieved 28 January 2015.
  50. ↑ "Alok Sharma MP: Heathrow helps to drive the nation's economic powerhouse". Conservative Home. 17 December 2013. Archived from the original on 24 June 2021. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
  51. ↑ Gammie, Joe (14 May 2014). "Reading West MP Alok Sharma welcomes "vital" multi-billion pound plans to expand Heathrow". Reading Chronicle. Archived from the original on 15 May 2014. Retrieved 28 January 2015.
  52. ↑ Fort, Linda (25 November 2009). "Community unites against Heathrow runway plan". Archived from the original on 13 February 2020. Retrieved 15 June 2017.
  53. ↑ "Theresa May to relax UK transit visa regime". Financial Times. London. Archived from the original on 6 January 2022. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  54. ↑ "Home Secretary's speech at the inaugural East West Forum". GOV.UK. 12 September 2014. Archived from the original on 30 January 2015. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  55. ↑ Goodenough, Tom (16 February 2016). "Which Tory MPs back Brexit, who doesn't and who is still on the fence?". The Spectator. Archived from the original on 3 February 2017. Retrieved 11 October 2016.
  56. ↑ "Alok Sharma Voting Record". theyworkforyou.com. Archived from the original on 2 December 2018. Retrieved 30 October 2019.
  57. ↑ "Hansard Voting Record". Hansard. Archived from the original on 30 August 2020. Retrieved 30 October 2019.
  58. ↑ Sharma, Alok (8 July 2016). "Alok Sharma: May is right not to chase headlines on EU nationals". ConservativeHome. Archived from the original on 31 March 2019. Retrieved 31 March 2019.
  59. ↑ Onita, Laura (13 February 2020). "Profile: Alok Sharma - the new business secretary". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 13 February 2020. Retrieved 13 February 2020.
  60. ↑ Sonwalkar, Prasun (18 December 2019). "Indian-origin lawmakers Alok Sharma, Rishi Sunak take oath on Bhagwad Gita in UK's House of Commons". Hindustan Times. Archived from the original on 26 April 2020. Retrieved 13 January 2020.
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