Our Bureau
London
Alok Sharma, the Indian-origin former Conservative Party member of Parliament, has been conferred a peerage by King Charles III and will now take his seat in the House of Lords. Previously knighted as Sir Alok for his contributions to tackling climate change through his leadership as president of the COP26 climate summit over 2 years ago, he now becomes Lord Sharma.
His appointment is part of the customary Dissolution Peerages nominated by outgoing Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. Although he chose not to seek re-election in the recent general election, his legacy continues as he transitions to the Upper House of the UK Parliament.
He served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Reading West from 2010 to 2024.
Alok Sharma was appointed full-time President for COP 26, the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference, on 8 January 2021.
He was previously Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and President for COP 26 between 13 February 2020 and 8 January 2021.
He was previously Secretary of State for International Development from 24 July 2019 to 13 February 2020, and Minister of State for Employment at the Department of Work and Pensions from 9 January 2018 until 24 July 2019.
He was Minister of State for Housing and Planning, for the Department for Communities and Local Government from 13 June 2017 to 9 January 2018.
