Catherine West

Catherine Elizabeth West (born 14 September 1966) is an Australian-born Labour Party politician who is the Member of Parliament (MP) for Hornsey and Friern Barnet since 2024, and formerly of Hornsey and Wood Green from 2015 until the seat was abolished in 2024. She has served as a Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office since July 2024.

Early life and career
Catherine West was born on 14 September 1966 in Mansfield, Australia, one of four children to Janet (née Conti) and Roderick West. Her parents were both teachers and her father was Headmaster of Trinity Grammar School in Sydney for 21 years. She is the great-great-niece of actress Italia Conti.

She grew up in Sydney and was privately educated at Meriden School and Ravenswood School for Girls. West studied modern languages and social work at the University of Sydney. While studying there, she met her future husband Colin Sutherland. They lived together in Darwin, Northern Territory, where she worked as a social worker in a refuge for survivors of childhood sexual abuse. She moved to the United Kingdom in 1998 when her husband gained a job at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. She then earnt a master's degree in Chinese Studies from the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London.

West joined the Labour Party in 1998 and became a caseworker for Tottenham MP David Lammy two years later.

From 2 May 2002 to 22 May 2014, West was a member of the Islington London Borough Council representing the Tollington Ward. She was the leader of the council's Labour Party group from 2004 to 10 October 2013 and Council Leader from 6 May 2010 to 10 October 2013. She resigned as councillor to contest the 2015 general election.

Parliamentary career
West was elected to Parliament as MP for Hornsey and Wood Green at the 2015 general election with 50.9% of the vote and a majority of 11,058.

Following the election of Jeremy Corbyn as Leader of the Labour Party, whose campaign she supported, West was promoted to the Official Opposition frontbench as a Shadow Foreign Office Minister.

During the 2016 Brexit referendum, West was involved with Britain Stronger in Europe, campaigning for the UK to remain within the European Union, arguing that "Britain would be stronger, more prosperous, more secure and more peaceful" if they were to remain within the EU. West's constituency of Hornsey and Wood Green secured the highest remain vote of any constituency, with 81.5% voting to remain. Following the EU referendum, West confirmed she would vote against invoking Article 50 should a vote come before parliament.

In January 2017, West voted against triggering Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty, the process to withdraw from the European Union, along with 46 other Labour Party MPs.

At the snap 2017 general election, West was re-elected as MP for Hornsey and Wood Green with an increased vote share of 65.4% and an increased majority of 30,738.

West was sacked from the Labour frontbench in June 2017 after she voted in favour of an amendment to the Queen's Speech which called on the UK to remain in the European Single Market, in defiance of the Labour whip.

At the 2019 general election, West was again re-elected, with a decreased vote share of 57.5% and a decreased majority of 19,242.

West returned to the Labour frontbench in 2020 as shadow Sport minister, prior to her promotion to the shadow Foreign Office team under new Labour Leader Sir Keir Stamer. West is currently Labour's shadow Minister for Asia & the Pacific.

Due to the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, West's constituency of Hornsey and Wood Green was abolished, and replaced with Hornsey and Friern Barnet. In June 2024, West was selected as the Labour candidate for Hornsey and Friern Barnet at the 2024 general election.

Labour government 2024
On 11 July 2024, she was appointed as Parliamentary Under-Secretary for the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office. Executive Councillor of HongKong Ronny Tong criticised her for having a clear political stance, suggesting it would be better for her to resign from her position at Hong Kong Watch. Both Beijing and the Hong Kong government have repeatedly described Hong Kong Watch as an anti-China organisation. The organisation claims to have received a letter from the National Security Department of HongKong Police Force indicating it was suspected of violating the 2020 Hong Kong national security law.

Personal life
West is a Quaker. She is married to Colin Sutherland, co-director of the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine's Malaria Centre. They met while studying at the University of Sydney. They have a daughter and a son.

She is a dual British and Australian national.