ALOK Sharma has been named the new Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy after Andrea Leadsom was sacked this morning.
He will also serve as minister for the Minister for the COP26 climate summit taking place in Glasgow later this year, following the dismissal of Claire Perry O’Neill just six months into her role.
Mr Sharma commented his new roles on twitter.
Delighted to be appointed as Secretary of State for @beisgovuk and Minister for @COP26. Looking forward to an exciting year ahead#YoCA2020 https://t.co/uWJYziVLeA
— Alok Sharma (@AlokSharma_RDG) February 13, 2020
Elected in 2010 for Reading West, Mr Sharma has served as a member of the Commons Treasury select committee, a member of the Commons Science and Technology select committee, a Parliamentary Private Secretary at the Treasury and at the Cabinet Office.
From 2012-15 he served as a Conservative Party Vice Chairman.
He was appointed in 2016 as the Prime Minister’s Infrastructure Envoy to India and Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office from July 2016 to June 2017.
A chartered accountant, he had a 16-year career in banking before entering the Parliament.
He has worked with local campaign groups to fight unsustainable development on green spaces like Pincents Hill and scale back housing on the Bath Road Reservoir site.
He has previously stated his commitment to ‘campaigning against any unsustainable development across Reading West.’
