Virendra Sharma
{{Short description|British-Indian politician (born 1947)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2018}}
{{EngvarB|date=July 2014}}{{Infobox officeholder
| image = Official portrait of Mr Virendra Sharma crop 2.jpg
| imagesize =
| honorific-prefix =
| name = Virendra Sharma
| native_name = {{larger|वीरेंद्र शर्मा}}
{{larger|ਵਰਿੰਦਰ ਸ਼ਰਮਾ}}
| honorific-suffix =
| office = Member of Parliament
for Ealing Southall
| parliament =
| predecessor = Piara Khabra
| successor = Deirdre Costigan
| term_start = 19 July 2007
| term_end = 30 May 2024
| birth_name = Virendra Kumar Sharma
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1947|04|05|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Mandhali, Punjab, British India{{cite web|title=Bio|url=http://www.virendrasharma.com/bio|website=Virendra Sharma MP}}
| death_date =
| death_place =
| nationality = British-Indian
| spouse = {{marriage|Nirmala Sharma|1968}}
| party = Labour
| relatives =
| children = 2
| residence =
| alma_mater = London School of Economics
| occupation = Politician
| profession =
| signature =
| website = {{URL|https://www.virendrasharma.com/}}
| footnotes =
}}
Virendra Kumar Sharma (Hindi: {{larger|वीरेंद्र कुमार शर्मा}}, Punjabi: {{larger|ਵਰਿੰਦਰ ਕੁਮਾਰ ਸ਼ਰਮਾ}}; born 5 April 1947){{cite news|url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/democracylive/hi/representatives/profiles/61606.stm |title=Virendra Sharma MP |publisher=BBC |work=BBC Democracy Live |access-date=25 July 2010}} is a British-Indian Labour Party politician. He served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Ealing Southall from 2007 to 2024.
Early life and career
Virendra Sharma was born on 5 April 1947 in Mandhali, Nawanshahr in the Punjab Province of British India into a Punjabi Hindu Brahmin family.{{Cite web |last=CANTON |first=NAOMI |date=31 December 2019 |title=UK MP under fire for not taking oath on Gita |website=The Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/uk-mp-under-fire-for-not-taking-oath-on-gita/articleshow/73039203.cms |access-date=2021-06-16 |language=en}} He went to university at the London School of Economics on a trade union scholarship.{{Cite web |title=UKPollingReport Election Guide 2010 |url=http://ukpollingreport.co.uk/guide/seat-profiles/ealingsouthall/ |access-date=2021-06-16 |website=ukpollingreport.co.uk}}
Sharma came to Hanwell, Ealing, London from India in 1968 and became a bus conductor on the 207 route, later working as a day services manager for people with learning disabilities in Hillingdon. He began his political career by joining the Liberal Party, then switched to Labour. Sharma was Race Equalities Officer to the Labour Party nationally.
He was a councillor in the London Borough of Ealing from 1982 to 2010 and became Mayor.
Parliamentary career
Sharma was elected to Parliament as MP for Ealing Southall at the 2007 Ealing Southall by-election with 41.5% of the vote and a majority of 5,070.{{cite web |last=Boothroyd |first=David |title=Results of Byelections in the 2005–2010 Parliament |url=http://www.election.demon.co.uk/by2005.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151227081306/http://www.election.demon.co.uk/by2005.html |archive-date=27 December 2015 |access-date=2015-10-05 |website=United Kingdom Election Results}}
In September 2008, Sharma signed a letter drafted by Keith Vaz on behalf of the disgraced lawyer Shahrokh Mireskandari, for which Vaz was criticised for not declaring his relationship with him. Sharma said that Vaz had not informed him of the relationship and that he would "be more questioning before I sign a letter in future".{{cite news|last1=Syal|first1=Rajeev|title=Vaz urged to quit key Commons job|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2008/sep/21/keithvaz|access-date=7 April 2015|newspaper=Observer|date=21 September 2008}}
In November 2008, Sharma was appointed as Parliamentary private secretary (PPS){{cite web|url=http://www.ealingtimes.co.uk/news/3823080.virendra-sharma-celebrates-promotion/|title=Virendra Sharma celebrates promotion|website=Ealing Times|date=6 November 2008 }} to the Minister of State at the Treasury and Home Office, Phil Woolas. Sharma resigned from this post in January 2009 in opposition to the Labour government's proposal to build a third runway at Heathrow Airport.
At the 2010 general election, Sharma was re-elected as MP for Ealing Southall with an increased vote share of 51.5% and an increased majority of 9,291.{{cite web |title=Election Data 2010 |url=http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/electdata_2010.txt |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130726162034/http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/electdata_2010.txt |archive-date=26 July 2013 |access-date=17 October 2015 |publisher=Electoral Calculus}} He supported David Miliband in the 2010 Labour leadership election.
Sharma was again re-elected at the 2015 general election with an increased vote share of 65% and an increased majority of 18,760.{{cite web |title=Election Data 2015 |url=http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/electdata_2015.txt |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151017112223/http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/electdata_2015.txt |archive-date=17 October 2015 |access-date=17 October 2015 |publisher=Electoral Calculus}}
In 2016, in a reversal of his previous stance, Sharma announced that he now supported Heathrow expansion.{{Cite news|url=http://www.cityam.com/247605/quit-government-over-heathrow-expansion-why-changed-my-mind|title=I quit government over Heathrow expansion: This is why I changed my mind|publisher=City AM|date=16 August 2016|language=en}}
At the snap 2017 general election, Sharma was again re-elected with an increased vote share of 70.3% and an increased majority of 22,090.{{cite news |title=Ealing Southall parliamentary constituency |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies/E14000676 |work=BBC News}}{{cite web |date=29 January 2019 |orig-date=7 April 2018 |title=Commons Briefing Paper 7979. General Election 2017: results and analysis |url=https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CBP-7979/CBP-7979.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191112183438/https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CBP-7979/CBP-7979.pdf |archive-date=12 November 2019 |publisher=House of Commons Library |edition=Second}}
In July 2017, Sharma voted against the bill on triggering Article 50 in the House of Commons, expressing his concern over Brexit's potential effects on the economy.{{Cite news|url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/virendra-sharma-other-labour-mps-to-vote-against-brexit-bill/story-v6Gk7uD19Jx34dDd2GCwkN.html|title=Virendra Sharma, other Labour MPs to vote against Brexit bill|date=28 January 2017|work=hindustantimes.com/|access-date=13 July 2017|language=en}}
In March 2019, Sharma lost a vote of no-confidence at his Constituency Labour Party: the reasons given by opponents were his low attendance at party meetings, slow response to constituents communications and unwillingness to campaign against toxic emissions from the redevelopment of the Old Gasworks site (Southall Waterside).{{Cite news|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/seventh-labour-mp-in-two-years-loses-confidence-vote-after-revolt-by-activists-a4100986.html|title=Seventh Labour MP in two years loses confidence vote after revolt by activists|date=26 March 2019|access-date=13 July 2017|language=en}} Despite this, he was again re-elected at the 2019 general election, with a decreased vote share of 60.8% and a decreased majority of 16,084.{{Cite web |title=Ealing Council download – Statements of persons nominated and notice of poll: UK Parliamentary General Election 12 December 2019 |url=https://www.ealing.gov.uk/downloads/download/5511/statements_of_persons_nominated_and_notice_of_poll_uk_parliamentary_general_election_12_december_2019 |access-date=2019-11-19 |website=Ealing London Borough Council |language=en}}{{cite web |date=28 January 2020 |title=Commons Briefing Paper 8749. General Election 2019: results and analysis |url=https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CBP-8749/CBP-8749.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211118043715/https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CBP-8749/CBP-8749.pdf |archive-date=18 November 2021 |access-date=19 January 2022 |publisher=House of Commons Library |location=London}}
Sharma is a member of Labour Friends of Israel.{{cite web |title=LFI Parliamentary Supporters |url=https://www.lfi.org.uk/lfi-parliamentary-supporters/ |website=Labour Friends of Israel |date=6 July 2017 |access-date=26 February 2024}} He is also vice-chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for British-Hindus.{{cite web |title=House of Commons – Register Of All-Party Groups as at 30 July 2015 : Tamils |url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm/cmallparty/register/tamils.htm |website=publications.parliament.uk}}
On 27 May 2024, Sharma announced his retirement at the 2024 general election.{{cite web |title=Veteran British Indian Labour MP Virendra Sharma says won't seek re-election |url=https://www.deccanherald.com/world/veteran-british-indian-labour-mp-virendra-sharma-says-wont-seek-re-election-3041090 |website=Deccan Herald |access-date=28 May 2024 |date=28 May 2024}}{{Cite tweet |number=1795139143908938074 |user=VirendraSharma |title=It has been the pleasure of a lifetime to represent Ealing Southall, but the time has come to step back from the Commons. I have every confidence we will see @Keir_Starmer and @UKLabour in power very soon. I have written to local members letting them know my decision. |access-date=2024-05-27}}
Personal life
Sharma is a British-Indian, a British-Punjabi and a British-Hindu. He has been married to Nirmala Sharma since 1968. They have a son and daughter and three grandchildren.{{cite encyclopedia |doi=10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.246106 |entry=Sharma, Virendra |encyclopedia=Who's Who |year=2007|title=Sharma, Virendra, (Born 5 April 1947), MP (Lab) Ealing and Southall, since July 2007 }}
He has been the vice-chair of APPG for British-Hindus. In addition to English, Sharma is fluent in his native Indian languages of Hindi and Punjabi.
In 2023, to celebrate 75 years of India's independence, the British Council's India/UK Together's Season of Culture organised the India UK Achievers Honours in partnership with the National Indian Students and Alumni Union UK (NISAU) to recognise the work of 75 young achievers, 8 outstanding achievers, 3 living legends and one lifetime achiever, who have been educated in the UK. Sharma was given the living legend at the India UK Achievers Honours.{{Cite web |date=2023-01-27 |title=Parineeti, Poonawalla and Chadha among India-UK achievers felicitated by NISAU and British Council – |url=https://www.newsx.com/parineeti-poonawalla-and-chadha-among-india-uk-achievers-felicitated-by-nisau-and-british-council/ |access-date=2023-02-07 |website=ITV Network (India) |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2023-01-30 |title=EVENT: India UK Achievers Honours 2023, London – Asian News from UK |url=https://asianlite.com/2023/news/uk-news/event-india-uk-achievers-honours-2023-london/ |access-date=2023-02-07 |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Excelsior |first=Daily |date=2023-02-02 |title=Inventor of QR code-based degree transcripts among the outstanding achievers at the India UK Achievers Honours |url=https://www.dailyexcelsior.com/inventor-of-qr-code-based-degree-transcripts-among-the-outstanding-achievers-at-the-india-uk-achievers-honours/ |access-date=2023-02-07 |website=Daily Excelsior |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=Virendra Sharma is a Living Legend – Southall News |url=http://www.visitsouthall.co.uk/News/NewsDetails.php?recordID=1276 |access-date=2023-02-07 |website=www.visitsouthall.co.uk |language=en}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.virendrasharma.com/ Virendra Sharma site]
- {{UK MP links | parliament = mr-virendra-sharma/1604 | guardian = 11162/virendra-sharma | publicwhip = Virendra_Sharma | theywork = virendra_sharma | record = Virendra-Sharma/Ealing-Southall/542 | bbc = 61606.stm | journalisted = }}
- [http://mpsallowances.parliament.uk/mpslordsandoffices/hocallowances/allowances%2Dby%2Dmp/virendra%2Dsharma/ UK Parliament Website: details of Sharma's parliamentary expenses]
- [http://www.ealingtimes.co.uk/news/yourmps/ 'Ealing Times' newspaper column] written by Sharma and other Ealing MPs until 2008
- [http://ukpollingreport.co.uk/guide/seat-profiles/ealingsouthall UK Polling Report: Ealing Southall profile] including detail on Sharma
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{{s-par|uk}}
{{s-bef | before = Piara Khabra }}
{{s-ttl
| title = Member of Parliament for Ealing Southall
}}
{{s-aft|after=Deirdre Costigan}}
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{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sharma, Virendra}}
Category:People from Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar district
Category:Punjab, India politicians
Category:Indian emigrants to the United Kingdom
Category:Indian emigrants to England
Category:British people of Punjabi descent
Category:English people of Indian descent
Category:English people of Punjabi descent
Category:Politicians from the London Borough of Ealing
Category:Labour Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies
Category:Alumni of the London School of Economics
Category:Councillors in Greater London
Category:Councillors in the London Borough of Ealing