MP Vara was first elected to Parliament in 2005, representing the constituency of North West Cambridgeshire. He has since been re-elected to Parliament in 2010, 2015 and 2017. He was formerly a Minister for Northern Ireland, having also previously served as a Minister for Justice, a Minister in the Department for Work and Pensions and as a Government Whip. He has also introduced two Private Members’ Bills.

Shailesh is qualified as a solicitor. He has worked in the City and the West End of London, as well as in Hong Kong. Prior to entering Parliament, he held various posts in the Conservative Party including being a Vice-Chairman of the Party during 2001-2005. During the period 2005-2006 he held a range of other responsibilities. These included being Joint-Vice Chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Trafficking of Women and Children, Treasurer of the BBC All Party Parliamentary Group, Vice-Chairman of the Executive Committee of Conservative Lawyers and the Chairman of the Conservative Parliamentary Friends of India Group.

Shailesh was educated at Aylesbury Grammar School and Brunel University.