Shailesh Vara was first elected as the Conservative MP for North West Cambridgeshire in 2005, being reelected in 2019 with a majority of 25,983.
The constituency of North West Cambridgeshire is a mixed seat which actually contains a large portion of the city of Peterborough including the city’s football ground, relatively close to the centre of the City. Spreading out into the rural Cambridgeshire countryside down towards Huntingdon, this seat also includes the small monastic town of Ramsey. This is safe Conservative territory where the party typically polls around 50% of the vote, a figure which has increased to around 60% in the last two elections.
Following the mass ministerial resignations from the Johnson government in early July 2022, Vara was appointed Secretary of State for Northern Ireland in July 2022. He was relieved of this role by Liz Truss in September 2022.
Vara had previously served in the government under Theresa May as Minister of State for Northern Ireland in 2018, having also served as Under Secretary of State for Work and Pensions between 2015 and 2016, and Under Secretary of State for Courts and Legal Aid between 2013 and 2016.
Vara was Vice Chairman of the Conservative Party between 2001 and 2005.
Born in 1960 in Uganda, Shailesh Vara moved to Britain when he was four years old. He was educated at Aylesbury Grammar School and Brunel University.
Having qualified as a solicitor, he worked in the City and the West End of London, as well as in Hong Kong.
He previously introduced two Private Members Bills into Parliament, although both were never actually passed. The first, in 2006, looked to increase the age bracket through which women could access compulsory breast cancer screening from the 50-70 to to 45-75. The second in 2007, looked to give greater protection to house holders who tried to defend themselves and their property from intruders.
Vara initially supported Dominic Raab in the 2019 Conservative leadership election, before transferring his support to Boris Johnson.
He was previously the first Minister to resign in 2018 over Theresa May’ proposed EU withdrawal agreement.
Shailesh Vara is Vice Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on India. He is married with two children.
Email: shailesh.vara.mp@parliament.uk
Personal Website: http://www.shaileshvara.com/
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Shailesh-Vara/
