Lord Pickles leads the government’s work on post-Holocaust initiatives. He was appointed Special Envoy for Post-Holocaust issues and works closely with the wide range of Holocaust academics, survivors and educational and social organisations in the UK.
His key objective is to ensure that the UK continues to play a prominent role in international discussions on all Holocaust-related matters, especially those relating to education and the opening of archives, and the UK continues to respond to the concerns of Holocaust victims and their families. Lord Pickles is also working closely with the UK Holocaust Memorial Foundation to help it develop international partnerships that can support the new world-class Learning Centre to be established in London and advance Holocaust education around the world. His role includes a focus on the restitution of art and immovable property and promoting the implementation of the 2009 Terezin Declaration on Holocaust Era Assets.
From 2015 - 2017, Lord Pickles was the Prime Minister’s Anti-Corruption Champion, overseeing the delivery of the commitments made in the UK’s Anti-Corruption Plan and at the London Anti-Corruption Summit.
Lord Pickles was Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government from 2010 to 2015. He held a number of positions while in opposition, including Shadow Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government from 2007 to 2009, and Chairman of the Conservative Party from 2009 to 2010.
He was Leader of Bradford City Council from 1988 to 1990 and was the Conservative MP for Brentwood and Ongar from 1992 to 2017.
Lord Pickles was educated at Greenhead Grammar School and Leeds Polytechnic.