Former Conservative MP Alok Sharma to Enter House of LordsFormer Conservative MP Alok Sharma to Enter House of Lords Alok Sharma, the former Conservative MP of Indian descent who chose not to stand for re-election, has been granted a peerage by King Charles III and will sit in the House of Lords. The 56-year-old MP, born in Agra, was knighted as Sir Alok last year for his role as chair of the COP26 climate summit. He will now become Lord Sharma. Sharma was one of seven nominations made by outgoing Prime Minister Rishi Sunak for “Dissolution Peerages.” Former Prime Minister Theresa May was also appointed to the House of Lords. Sharma expressed both gratitude and regret upon receiving the appointment, stating that he was “humbled” but saddened by the losses of Conservative candidates in the recent general election. Political Career and Advocacy Sharma has served as a Conservative MP since 2010, representing Reading West constituency. He held various ministerial positions, including Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and International Development. During his tenure as COP26 President, Sharma played a crucial role in shaping international climate change policy. However, he has expressed concerns about the government’s pace of progress toward its climate goals. Sharma’s decision not to stand for re-election in 2024 follows the lead of other senior Conservative Party figures who have also chosen to step down.
Alok Sharma (Screenshot | X)
LONDON: Former Conservative Party MP Alok Sharma, of Indian descent and a former member of the Conservative Party, who chose not to stand for re-election in this week’s general election, will now sit in the House of Lords after being granted a peerage by King Charles III.
The 56-year-old MP, born in Agra, was knighted as Sir Alok in the King’s New Year’s Honours List last year for his contribution to tackling climate change through his leadership as chair of the COP26 climate summit over two years ago. He will now become Lord Sharma.
Sharma was one of seven nominations made by outgoing Prime Minister Rishi Sunak for his customary ‘Dissolution Peerages’, which also saw former Prime Minister Theresa May appointed as a peer in the House of Lords of the British Parliament.
“I am humbled by my appointment to the House of Lords but also very sorry to see so many good Conservative candidates lose, including in Reading West & Mid Berkshire,” Sharma said in a message to X on Friday, as his party’s disastrous general election results became clear.
His former constituency was won by Labour’s Olivia Bailey, who described Sharma as “a decent person who I believe will serve the area diligently.” Sharma’s Reading West constituency, like several others across the UK, had undergone a boundary change to become Reading West & Mid Berkshire.
“This was not an easy decision for me. It has been the honour of a lifetime to serve as an MP for a constituency in the city where I grew up and a privilege to serve in government and represent the UK on the international stage,” Sharma said when he announced his decision not to stand in the next general election last September.
“I will continue to support my Conservative colleagues and serve my constituents diligently while I am in Parliament. I will also continue to champion the causes I care about in Parliament, particularly climate action,” he added.
Sharma was selected as a parliamentary candidate in 2006 and has been a Conservative Party MP since 2010.
In his role as minister, he was since appointed Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and International Development, until being appointed as COP26 President by former Prime Minister Boris Johnson in January 2021 and given a Cabinet-level role.
When Rishi Sunak was Prime Minister, he sat in the House of Commons and often expressed concerns about the government’s delays in meeting certain targets to achieve the country’s climate goals for a carbon-neutral economy by 2050.
“Cutting and changing policies creates uncertainty for businesses and the public. Ultimately, this makes it harder to attract investment and increases costs for consumers,” he said.
Sharma was among a number of senior Conservative Party colleagues, including former Defence Secretary Ben Wallace, who have decided not to stand for re-election in the 2024 election.
