MP for North West Cambridgeshire
Having been first elected in 2005, Shailesh was returned to Parliament at the General Election of December 2019 for the fifth consecutive time, with an increased share of the vote. Prior to standing as an MP, Shailesh worked as a solicitor in London and Hong Kong. He is married with two children. Before entering Parliament, Shailesh held a number of positions within the Conservative Party including the role of Party vice-chairman between 2001 and 2005.
An experienced Parliamentarian, he has served as a Minister in the departments of Justice, Works and Pensions and Northern Ireland as well as acting as government Whip. In opposition, he was shadow deputy leader of the House of Commons. In July 2022 he was appointed Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, a post he relinquished following the election of new Party leader Liz Truss (September 2022), and the formation of a new Cabinet.
As with most MPs, Shailesh deals with a mammoth amount of case work while supporting several major campaigns on behalf of residents. Past projects include improving road safety alongside Forty Foot Drain, working jointly with neighbouring Huntingdon MP Jonathan Djanogly to keep Hinchingbrooke Hospital fully open and helping obtain superfast broadband in Hampton and rural Huntingdonshire. More recently he has added his support to a campaign launched by several rural villages for the reinstatement of a regular bus service.
For more information about Shailesh please go to his website and keep an eye on our news page for local activities..