Shailesh Vara MP has today been promoted by the Prime Minister to Minister of State for Northern Ireland, having served as Parliamentary Under Secretary of State in the Department since January of this year.

Mr Vara said:

“I am of course very pleased with the promotion. The work in Northern Ireland is hugely important, especially as we leave the European Union, ensuring that there is no hard border with Ireland.”

Mr Vara was elected to Parliament in 2005 and has previously served as a Justice Minister, a Minister in the Department for Work and Pensions and also as a Government Whip.