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Cat Smith
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Key Information

Catherine Jane Smith[1] (born 16 June 1985)[2] is a British Labour Party politician who has served as a Member of Parliament (MP) since 2015, representing Lancaster and Wyre since 2024 after her former constituency, Lancaster and Fleetwood, was abolished.[3] She was a member of the shadow cabinets led by Jeremy Corbyn and Keir Starmer from 2016 to 2021 as Shadow Secretary of State, previously Shadow Minister, for Young People and Democracy.[4]

Early life and education

[edit]

Smith was born in Barrow-in-Furness. She has said that she "didn't have a political upbringing". Her mother was a Methodist and, through going to church with her, Smith became involved with youth movements in the church. Her father was a trade unionist.[5] She attended Parkview School (in 2009 this merged into Furness Academy) and Barrow Sixth Form College. In 2003, she began studying for a bachelor's degree at Lancaster University. She was a member of Cartmel College and initially studied religious studies, but switched to a joint honours degree in sociology and gender studies, from which she graduated in 2006.[6][7] Smith was elected the Women's Officer for Lancaster University Students' Union, a sabbatical role, and served in the 2006–2007 academic year.[6]

Political career

[edit]

Early political career

[edit]

Smith first stood for election as a Labour Party candidate for University ward on Lancaster City Council in 2007. She came fifth with 98 votes.[5] She supported John McDonnell for leader in the 2007 Labour Party leadership election which was occasioned by Prime Minister Tony Blair's resignation; Gordon Brown won unopposed. Smith said it was more important to her to see multiple candidates stand than for McDonnell specifically to win.[8] In the same year, she was a candidate for Labour Party National Executive Committee (NEC) Youth Representative.[9]

Smith worked as an office manager for the Christian Socialist Movement from 2007 to 2009 before working as a research and constituency worker for three Members of Parliament (MPs) from 2009 to 2012: Jeremy Corbyn, Katy Clark, and Bob Marshall-Andrews.[6] Smith was the Labour Party candidate for Wyre and Preston North constituency in the 2010 general election, the first in which it was contested, but she was unsuccessful and came in a narrow third behind the Liberal Democrat candidate. In 2020 she told Lancs Live, "I had been called because there was no Wyre and Preston candidate for Labour... I wasn't expecting to win but I was happy to make the case for Labour to the constituents."[5]

In 2010–2011, Smith was chair of Compass Youth.[10] In 2011, a majority of the Compass Youth committee, including Smith, resigned in protest at Compass' decision to become a cross-party body. The resigning members set up a new organisation called Next Generation Labour, which Smith chaired for a period.[11] From 2012 to 2015, Smith worked as a campaigns and policy officer for the British Association of Social Workers (BASW). In 2013, she was selected as the Labour candidate to contest Lancaster and Fleetwood constituency at the next election.[6]

Member of Parliament

[edit]

Smith won Lancaster and Fleetwood in the 2015 general election, defeating the Conservative incumbent Eric Ollerenshaw.[6] Smith became a member of the Socialist Campaign Group within the Parliamentary Labour Party after her election.[12] Following Labour's overall defeat, however, party leader Ed Miliband resigned. In the ensuing leadership election, Smith was a supporter of Jeremy Corbyn's candidacy and was one of 36 Labour MPs to nominate him for leader.[13] In June 2015, Smith was elected as chair of the All-party parliamentary group on Cuba.[14] In July, she was one of 48 Labour MPs to defy the whip and vote against the Welfare Reform and Work Bill.[15]

Following Corbyn's election as Labour leader, Smith was appointed as a shadow minister in the Women & Equalities Office, working under Shadow Secretary of State for Women and Equalities Kate Green.[16]

She criticised the 2016 European Union referendum, saying that younger people preferred to remain in the EU, while the majority result was to leave.[17]

Front bench

[edit]

On 27 June 2016, Smith entered the Shadow Cabinet as Shadow Minister for Voter Engagement and Youth Affairs.[18] This followed on from a series of resignations of shadow ministers who had lost confidence in Corbyn's leadership; Smith took over from Gloria De Piero, one of the first shadow ministers to resign.[19] On 6 April 2020, Smith was re-appointed to her shadow cabinet role by the newly elected Labour Party Leader, Keir Starmer.[citation needed]

In addition to her other duties, Smith served as Shadow Deputy Leader of the House of Commons, in which role she made her debut at the Despatch Box on 20 December 2016.[20]

On 29 November 2021, during a shadow cabinet reshuffle, Smith resigned from her role on the front bench. She suggested that Starmer's office had offered her the opportunity to remain in her brief, but she declined citing concerns over the ongoing suspension of former party leader Jeremy Corbyn from the Parliamentary Labour Party and lack of frontbench support for proportional representation.[21][22]

Expenses

[edit]

On 24 May 2016, Lancashire Constabulary announced that an investigation had been opened following allegations that Smith broke election spending laws by spending thousands of pounds more than she declared, relating to a visit by a nationally organised Labour "battlebus" to her constituency.[23][24] In June 2016, Lancashire Constabulary were granted a year-long extension to investigate Smith's election expenses,[25] and in November 2016 they cleared Smith of any wrongdoing.[26]

Personal life

[edit]

Smith married her partner of eleven years, Ben Soffa, in September 2016.[27] Soffa has worked as head of digital organising for the Labour Party since 2015. In July 2018, Smith gave birth to the couple's son.[28] In October 2020 she revealed in a letter posted to Twitter that she was separating from her husband.[29] As of 2021 Smith was in a relationship with SNP former MP David Linden.[30] Smith is bisexual.[31]

In 2010, Smith was diagnosed with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), which she says has affected her energy levels, and which she uses medication to control.[32]

Smith is a Methodist,[33] and is co-founder of Christians for Choice, a project of the organisation Abortion Rights.[34] She was a guest at the 2025 National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, D.C.[35]

She is a member of Poulton & Wyre Railway Society.[36]

References

[edit]
[edit]
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Cat Smith

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Cat Smith is a British Labour Party politician who has served as (MP) for Lancaster and Wyre since 2024, having previously represented the predecessor constituency of Lancaster and Fleetwood from 2015 to 2024. Born in and a graduate of in 2006, she entered politics after working for a national organisation and as a for a local charity supporting victims of . In opposition, Smith held several frontbench roles, including Shadow Minister for Young People and Voter Engagement from 2016 to 2021, Shadow , and Shadow Deputy Leader of the . She chaired the Petitions Committee from 2023 until the 2024 election and has since chaired the Procedure Committee. Her parliamentary focus includes advocacy for youth engagement, democratic reforms, , opposition to , and . Smith gained the Lancaster and seat from the Conservatives in in a competitive marginal constituency, securing re-election in subsequent votes amid shifting boundaries.

Early life and education

Upbringing and family background

Catherine Jane Smith was born on 16 June 1985 in , . She grew up in a working-class family, attending state schools locally. Her mother was a Methodist, influencing Smith's early exposure to church activities, while her father, Alan Smith, worked as a trade unionist. Smith has described her family background as non-political, stating she "didn't have a political upbringing." Smith's paternal grandfather was illiterate and labored in low-paid manual work throughout his life, exemplifying intergenerational challenges in accessing education and opportunity. Her father failed the 11-plus exam but later pursued higher education as an adult, highlighting a pattern of self-improvement within the family despite systemic barriers. As a teenager, around 2003, Smith relocated to Lancaster, where she would later attend university.

Academic and early professional experience

Smith was born in Barrow-in-Furness and attended state schools there before moving to Lancaster as a teenager. She began studying for a at in 2003, graduating in 2006 with a degree in gender and sociology from Cartmel College. During her time at the university, she joined the Labour Party and served as Women's Officer for the , experiences that involved standing for student elections. Following graduation, Smith worked in research and parliamentary office roles for multiple Members of , including Labour leader . She later served as a policy officer for the , a national organization representing professionals. These positions provided her with exposure to policy development and constituency support prior to her entry into in 2015.

Pre-parliamentary political involvement

Local Labour activism

Prior to her selection as a parliamentary , Cat Smith engaged in activism within the Labour Party in Lancaster, including standing as the party's nominee for the University ward in the Lancaster City Council election on 3 May 2007, where she received 98 votes and finished fifth out of nine candidates. This marked her initial foray into electoral politics at the local level. Smith held several organizational positions in local Labour structures, serving as branch secretary, branch chair, constituency secretary, and constituency chair, roles that involved coordinating membership activities, meetings, and campaign efforts in the Lancaster area. As a young party activist, she participated in local events and faced an incident of attempted by a following a Labour gathering, which she later described as requiring her to physically resist and flee. These experiences underscored challenges within party organizing during her early involvement.

Advocacy and organizational roles

Prior to her election to Parliament, Smith served as Women's Officer for the Lancaster University from July 2006 to July 2007, where she advocated for and on campus, including campaigns addressing and representation in student governance. She worked as Communications and Office Manager for the Christian Socialist Movement, a Labour-affiliated group promoting Christian socialist principles, handling administrative and outreach duties to integrate faith-based perspectives into party policy discussions on and welfare. Smith also held a trustee position at a local charity in Lancaster focused on supporting victims of , contributing to operational decisions and fundraising efforts aimed at providing shelter and counseling services. In addition, she campaigned as a candidate for the Young Labour Representative position on the Labour Party's National Executive Committee, distributing a emphasizing youth engagement, anti-austerity policies, and grassroots activism within the party.

Parliamentary career

2015 election and constituency representation

Catherine Jane Smith was elected as the Labour for Lancaster and on 7 May , securing 17,643 votes or 42% of the valid vote share. She defeated the sitting Conservative MP Eric Ollerenshaw, who received 16,378 votes (39%), by a margin of 1,265 votes (3%). This result marked a Labour gain from the Conservatives, reversing their 333-vote from the 2010 , amid a constituency turnout of 67.4% from an electorate of 61,922. Smith's victory reflected targeted local campaigning on issues such as economic pressures in 's and sectors and infrastructure needs in Lancaster, contributing to Labour's narrow flip of the marginal seat despite the national Conservative . Upon taking office, Smith prioritized direct constituency engagement, including holding regular advice surgeries to assist residents with casework on matters like welfare benefits, housing, and healthcare access. In late 2015, following severe flooding from Storm Desmond that impacted areas along the River Lune and Wyre, she advocated for enhanced flood defenses, pressing the government for funding to protect vulnerable coastal and riverside communities in her constituency. Smith also opposed proposed hydraulic fracturing activities in Lancashire, raising parliamentary questions and supporting local council decisions against permits, citing risks to the environment and groundwater in rural Fleetwood and Lancaster districts. Her early representation emphasized amplifying regional concerns in Westminster, such as underinvestment in the Morecambe Bay hospitals serving her voters, through written questions and debates on NHS resource allocation.

Shadow ministerial positions

Cat Smith served as Junior Shadow Minister for from 18 September 2015 to 27 June 2016, focusing on issues including LGBT rights and within the Labour Party's opposition frontbench under . Following a reshuffle on 27 June 2016, she was appointed Shadow Minister for Young People and Voter Engagement in the , a role that later evolved into Shadow Secretary of State for Young People and Democracy; she retained this position through the leadership transitions from Corbyn to until her resignation in November 2021. In this capacity, Smith contributed to Labour's scrutiny of government policies on , youth participation in democracy, and , including submitting evidence to ary inquiries on . Concurrently, from 20 December 2016 to 19 July 2017, Smith held the position of Shadow Deputy Leader of the , assisting in opposition responses to government business and . Smith resigned from the frontbench on 29 November 2021, amid a Labour reshuffle, stating in her letter to Starmer that she was grateful for opportunities but chose to step down; reports indicated the decision related to internal party tensions over the withdrawal of the party whip from .

Post-Corbyn era activities and 2024 election

Following her service in Keir Starmer's initial as Shadow Secretary of State for Young People and , Smith resigned from the frontbench on November 29, 2021, during a Labour reshuffle, stating that the leadership's ongoing suspension of rendered her position untenable. She returned to the backbenches, where she focused on constituency issues and parliamentary scrutiny, including tabling questions on local priorities such as devolution and housing. In October 2023, Smith was elected by fellow MPs to chair the Petitions , a select role overseeing public petitions with over 10,000 signatures, defeating other candidates with 227 votes. During this period, she rebelled against the Labour on two occasions in the 2019–2024 , including a November 15, 2023, vote supporting an SNP amendment for an immediate ceasefire in the Israel–Gaza conflict, which she attributed to her Christian faith's emphasis on . Boundary changes from the 2023 periodic review abolished the Lancaster and constituency, reallocating its territory primarily to the new Lancaster and Wyre seat, which incorporated additional areas like Wyre Rural and parts of . Smith was selected as Labour's for this notional Conservative-leaning seat. In the July 4, 2024, , she secured victory with 19,315 votes (44.9% share, up 3.0 percentage points from the 2019 notional result), achieving a of 9,253 over the Conservative Peter Cartridge's 10,062 votes (23.4% share). 's Jack Lenox placed third with 5,236 votes (12.2%), while the Green Party's Gina Cropper received 4,218 (9.8%) and the Liberal Democrats' Matt Severn 1,529 (3.6%), with turnout at 57.8%. Post-election, on July 9, 2024, Smith assisted in the ceremonial dragging of re-elected Speaker to his chair, alongside Conservative MP Sir David Davis, upholding a House of Commons tradition. She has not been appointed to a government position in the Labour administration formed after the election.

Policy positions and legislative record

Domestic and social welfare stances

Cat Smith has consistently opposed reductions in welfare benefits, notably voting against the Conservative government's Welfare Reform and Work Bill in July 2015, defying the Labour whip alongside 47 other MPs to resist cuts estimated at £12 billion. In July 2025, she again rebelled against her own Labour government's Universal Credit and Personal Independent Payment Bill, which proposed tightening Personal Independence Payment (PIP) eligibility criteria, citing constituent impacts on disabled individuals during the second reading vote passed 335-260. On housing policy, Smith has advocated for increased local support to address shortages, delivering a March 2025 parliamentary speech highlighting Lancaster's crisis of insufficient affordable units amid rising demand. She has criticized insecure private renting and unaffordable as barriers for young people, attributing these to prior Conservative policies that she argued wasted generational potential by trapping individuals in precarious tenancies without pathways to ownership. In 2019, she endorsed Labour's manifesto pledge for installations on social to deliver free energy and annual savings of £117 for low-income households, framing it as part of a green transition benefiting welfare recipients. Regarding social care, Smith's voting record shows support for capping individual contributions to costs, consistently backing measures from 2020 onward to limit financial burdens on users. She has prioritized devolved on welfare-related issues like housing and childcare to empower local authorities over centralized control.

Foreign policy and international views

Cat Smith has advocated for an ethical foreign policy centered on dialogue rather than military intervention, stating in 2015 that "an ethical foreign policy doesn't mean bombing other countries, it means dialogue" and that "lasting peace" requires such approaches. In a 2015 statement on Syria, she expressed opposition to the barbarity of ISIS/Daesh, particularly its targeting of Syrian and Iraqi civilians, while emphasizing the need for a world free from such threats without endorsing broader military escalation. Smith has been a vocal critic of Israel's policies toward Palestinians, signing a July 2025 letter with nearly 60 Labour MPs calling for immediate UK recognition of a Palestinian state following Israel's defense minister's announcement of plans to displace populations in Gaza. In November 2023, she defied Labour leader Keir Starmer by voting for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, attributing her position to her Christian faith's emphasis on peacemaking. She has supported sanctions on Israel for alleged war crimes and violations of international law, as evidenced by her endorsement of a June 2025 parliamentary demand for such measures, and criticized the holding of British aid in Gaza as a weapon of war in May 2025, urging a review of arms export licenses to Israel. Smith has also raised concerns in Parliament about Palestinian civilians facing trial in Israel's military court system, highlighting reports of systemic bias therein. Previously serving as vice chair of the Palestine All-Party Parliamentary Group until May 2017, she has fundraised for Medical Aid for Palestinians, framing long-term peace as requiring political solutions alongside humanitarian support. In contrast, Smith has expressed support for against Russian aggression, praising Keir Starmer's leadership in March 2025 for bolstering coalitions of European and partners in response to fast-moving events. During a House of debate that month, she questioned the on 's potential accession, describing it as essential for countering tyranny and enhancing security. Her stance aligns with Labour's post-2024 election commitments to solidarity, though her earlier emphasis on dialogue suggests a preference for multilateral diplomacy over unilateral action in international conflicts.

Voting patterns and party discipline

Cat Smith has maintained a high level of adherence to the Labour Party whip throughout her parliamentary tenure, aligning with the party majority in 98% of 301 recorded divisions over the preceding year as of the latest available data. This pattern of discipline is consistent across most policy domains, including , defence, and environmental measures, where her votes typically mirror those of fellow Labour MPs. Exceptions to this loyalty have occurred primarily on welfare-related , reflecting a principled stance against reductions in benefits. In July 2015, during the second reading of the Conservative government's Welfare Reform and Work Bill, Smith joined 47 other Labour MPs in voting against the measure, defying the party instruction to abstain amid concerns over cuts to disability support and tax credits. She described the decision as taken "with a heavy heart" after unsuccessful attempts to raise objections internally. A similar divergence emerged in 2025 under the Labour government. Smith opposed reforms to (PIP) eligibility, co-sponsoring amendments as one of 13 select committee chairs seeking to block the Universal Credit and Bill, and subsequently voting against it in July after over 100 Labour MPs initially rebelled. In debate, she articulated inability to support changes that risked undermining protections. These rebellions, numbering fewer than a dozen across her career per , underscore selective on social security issues while upholding broader party consensus elsewhere.

Controversies and public scrutiny

Expenses investigations and financial allegations

In May 2016, Lancashire Police initiated an investigation into the 2015 general election expenses submitted by Cat Smith, the Labour MP for Lancaster and Fleetwood, following complaints about potential undeclared spending. The allegations centered on failures to declare costs related to office rent and staffing during her campaign, as well as discrepancies such as declaring postage expenses without corresponding envelope costs, amid broader scrutiny of Labour Party candidates' returns in the 2015 election. Smith, then serving as Shadow Minister for Women and Equalities, denied any improper claims, stating that her team had complied with electoral rules and anticipated exoneration. The probe, which lasted approximately six months, examined whether Smith's reported campaign expenditure breached legal limits under the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000. No charges were brought, and in November 2016, Police concluded the investigation without finding evidence of criminality, effectively clearing Smith of the allegations. Following the closure, Smith described the outcome as a vindication, emphasizing that minor administrative issues in expense logging did not constitute wrongdoing. Subsequent reports in early 2017 raised questions about potential review by the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) over related parliamentary expense claims, but no formal IPSA investigation materialized, and the matter did not progress beyond media tied to the resolved police inquiry. Routine disclosures of Smith's parliamentary expenses, such as £171,580 in office running costs for the 2019/20 financial year (including £150,558 on staff), have not prompted further probes or allegations of impropriety.

Personal security incidents and harassment claims

In September 2017, Cat Smith reported receiving multiple abusive messages on from separate online accounts, including explicit threats wishing that she be raped, prompting a police investigation into the threats as potential . Lancashire confirmed they were probing the messages directed at the MP, which she described as part of broader online trolling. initially declined to remove the posts, stating they did not violate platform rules, though Smith expressed frustration at the company's response to such targeted abuse against elected officials. Earlier that year, during discussions on parliamentary abuse, Smith highlighted receiving personal attacks that she characterized as bordering on racist, linking them to rhetoric from political opponents that she believed encouraged further online harassment. These incidents contributed to wider concerns among MPs about the security risks posed by public abuse, with Smith advocating for stronger measures against intimidation of candidates and officials. In October 2017, Smith publicly recounted experiencing as a young Labour activist, describing an incident where a male attempted to forcibly kiss her following a party event; she stated she had to physically push him away and flee the situation. She shared this account in the context of broader conversations on within , emphasizing the need for without naming the individual involved. No formal charges or further public details emerged from this personal claim.

Ideological alignments and criticisms

Cat Smith identifies as a socialist, integrating her political views with Christian principles, having previously served as an office manager for the Christian Socialist Movement. In a 2013 opinion piece, she explicitly stated, "I'm a socialist. And in no particular order I'm also a feminist, Christian, environmentalist, trade unionist," emphasizing a commitment to confronting capital to fund social programs, which she contrasts with right-wing avoidance of such challenges. Her alignment with the Labour left is evident in her early support for Jeremy Corbyn's leadership bid in 2015, where she declined to stand herself to back him fully, viewing his platform as broadening debate on socialist policies rather than mere posturing. This positioning places her within Corbynism, characterized by advocacy for expanded public services, opposition to , and criticism of policies as ideologically driven wastes of human potential, such as cuts to youth services. Smith's ideological stances have manifested in parliamentary rebellions, including defying Labour leadership under on a 2023 vote for an immediate Gaza , which she attributed to her Christian duty as a peacemaker, stating she felt "called upon" despite party pressure. She has also opposed in her constituency on environmental grounds, countering job-creation arguments as overstated. While largely adhering to party lines in votes—rebelling only twice against Labour majorities in recent sessions—her rare divergences, such as abstaining on welfare reforms in 2015 citing misalignment with constituents' needs, underscore a conscience-driven approach over strict discipline. Criticisms of Smith's alignments often stem from her Corbynite associations, with opponents labeling her positions as emblematic of Labour's left-wing shift that contributed to the party's electoral defeat, though she has defended such views as rooted in empirical needs like restoring services decimated by Conservative cuts. In , she resigned as Shadow Minister for and Voter Engagement, citing the Labour leadership's refusal to restore Corbyn's as "unsustainable," a move praised by left-wing outlets but highlighting internal party fractures between centrists and socialists. Conservative critics have accused her of in political tactics, such as locally endorsing boundary reforms in before opposing them nationally, framing it as opportunistic rather than principled . Her Christian-informed has drawn scrutiny for inconsistencies, such as strong pro-choice advocacy despite faith-based reservations on issues like , though she maintains these as compatible with broader aims. coverage, often from left-leaning sources like , tends to portray her views favorably, potentially understating risks of socialist policies like increased public spending amid fiscal constraints, as evidenced by Labour's post-Corbyn pivot toward moderated economics.

Personal life

Family and relationships

Cat Smith married Ben Soffa, her partner of eleven years, in a at the Ashton Memorial in Williamson Park, Lancaster, on September 3, 2016, followed by a reception at Lancaster House Hotel. Soffa, who serves as head of digital organising for the Labour Party, met Smith during her time at . The couple resided together in a taxpayer-funded flat in , located approximately six miles from Soffa's primary residence. Smith and Soffa have one child, a son named Eli, born on July 8, 2018. The birth occurred shortly after Smith's re-election as MP for Lancaster and in the 2017 general election, during which she continued parliamentary duties while pregnant. The marriage ended in separation prior to November 2021. By September 2021, Smith had begun a relationship with David Linden, an SNP MP for East. The inter-party partnership, notable for crossing the Labour-SNP divide, persisted as of February 2024. No additional children from this relationship have been publicly reported.

Religious faith and public service

Cat Smith identifies as a Christian whose entry into was motivated by her , stating that her "route to has been through my ." Raised in a household where her mother was Methodist and her father a trade unionist, Smith has participated in Methodist services, including attending the final service at Hollins Lane Methodist Church in September 2025 and contributing reflections at the Parliamentary Methodist Annual Covenant Service in January. She is a member of Christians in Parliament, an organization supporting MPs who draw on Christian principles in their work, and serves as vice-chair of the on in the , which promotes the role of in the region. Smith's faith has directly informed specific aspects of her public service, particularly in advocating for and . In November 2023, she defied Labour leader by voting for an immediate in Gaza, explaining that as a Christian she felt "called upon to be a peacemaker" and could not "in all good conscience not vote for a ," viewing it as a necessary first step toward broader . She has linked Christian teachings to Labour policies on welfare and equality, arguing in discussions that the Christian narrative aligns with progressive visions for addressing and community support. Prior to her election as MP in 2015, Smith's public service included work with a national organization and trusteeship of a charity aiding domestic violence victims, roles consistent with faith-driven commitments to vulnerable populations. Her interpretation of Christianity extends to support for reproductive rights and LGBTQ+ inclusion, as evidenced by her co-founding of Christians for Choice, which challenges anti-abortion positions on biblical grounds, and her June 2024 speech at Lancaster Pride identifying as a "proud Christian" supportive of such events. These stances reflect a prioritization of and over traditional doctrinal in her parliamentary service.

Health advocacy and recreational pursuits

Smith has actively advocated for better awareness and support for chronic illnesses, including (PoTS) and Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME). During a debate on PoTS on October 14, 2025, she emphasized the psychological toll of dismissal by healthcare providers, noting that prolonged disbelief exacerbates mental health challenges for patients. In October 2025, she became a Parliamentary for Action for ME, committing to advance research, clinical care improvements, and policy reforms for the condition, which affects an estimated 250,000 people in the UK with symptoms like profound fatigue and . Her health-related parliamentary inquiries have addressed specific risks, such as the teratogenic effects of during ; in written questions to the Secretary of State for , she sought assurances on compensation and support for affected individuals, reflecting concerns over the drug's links to congenital malformations in up to 10% of exposed fetuses. Locally, Smith has campaigned against closures of community services and pharmacies in Lancaster and Wyre, arguing that such cuts undermine equitable access to for vulnerable populations. In terms of recreational pursuits, Smith maintains a running routine as a form of personal fitness, though she modifies routes and timings due to safety risks faced by female politicians, including and incidents reported by MPs. She has expressed support for expanding youth-oriented leisure options in her constituency, such as skate parks and green spaces, to promote among young people amid declining local authority funding for such facilities.

References

  1. https://members.parliament.uk/member/4436/career
  2. https://www.catsmith.co.uk/about/
  3. https://www.politics.co.uk/reference/cat-smith/
  4. https://www.lancs.live/news/lancashire-news/lancaster-fleetwood-mp-cat-smith-17880291
  5. https://graphsearch.epfl.ch/en/concept/46643393
  6. https://www.theguardian.com/society/2017/sep/26/cat-smith-tory-policies-huge-waste-potential-young-people
  7. https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/alumni/news/archive/features/what-lancaster-means-to-us/
  8. https://www.instagram.com/catsmithmp/?hl=en
  9. https://committeeadmin.lancaster.gov.uk/mgElectionAreaResults.aspx?ID=26&RPID=0
  10. https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2022-01-17/debates/1B80906A-58DD-4618-9AA2-DBFED140143C/ElectionsBill
  11. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-41803302
  12. https://uk.linkedin.com/in/cat-smith-664663345
  13. https://www.scribd.com/document/6673286/Cat-Smith-Manifesto
  14. https://committeeadmin.lancaster.gov.uk/mgElectionResults.aspx?ID=41&RPID=0
  15. https://electionresults.parliament.uk/elections/319
  16. https://scan.lancastersu.co.uk/2015/05/14/cat-smith-elected-as-lancaster-and-fleetwood-mp/
  17. https://www.bbc.com/news/election-2015-england-32317352
  18. https://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/25432/cat_smith/lancaster_and_wyre
  19. https://whocanivotefor.co.uk/person/2618/cat-smith
  20. https://www.catsmith.co.uk/priorities/
  21. https://www.thepinknews.com/2015/09/18/labour-appoints-bisexual-mp-cat-smith-to-equalities-role/
  22. https://committees.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/103359/html/
  23. https://hansard.parliament.uk/search/MemberContributions?endDate=09%252F20%252F2024%2B00%253A00%253A00&memberId=4436&startDate=09%252F20%252F2019%2B00%253A00%253A00&type=Spoken&page=21
  24. https://www.lancasterguardian.co.uk/news/people/lancaster-mp-cat-smith-resigns-from-shadow-cabinet-role-3475771
  25. https://skwawkbox.org/2021/11/29/unsustainable-cat-smith-quits-shadow-cabinet-over-corbyn-whip-remaining-withdrawn/
  26. https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/b/labour-cat-smith-quits-shadow-cabinet-over-party-leadership-refusal-to-reinstate-corbyn
  27. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/labour-reshuffle-starmer-cat-smith-b1966017.html
  28. https://www.politicshome.com/news/article/new-commons-select-committee-chairs
  29. https://www.parallelparliament.co.uk/mp/cat-smith
  30. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-lancashire-67554636
  31. https://members.parliament.uk/constituency/4133/overview
  32. https://www.bbc.com/news/election/2024/uk/constituencies/E14001318
  33. https://www.lancaster.gov.uk/news/2024/jul/general-election-results
  34. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cv2gn0jj541o
  35. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-33604287
  36. https://www.lancasterguardian.co.uk/news/people/lancaster-and-morecambe-mps-vote-against-government-plans-for-cuts-to-benefits-5204696
  37. https://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/25432/cat_smith/lancaster_and_wyre/votes
  38. https://www.lancasterguardian.co.uk/news/people/lancaster-mp-highlights-city-housing-crisis-in-parliament-speech-5020340
  39. https://www.catsmith.co.uk/latest/2019/05/15/green-industrial-revolution/
  40. https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2015/08/24/cat-smith-jeremy-corbyn-jesus_n_8030630.html
  41. https://www.facebook.com/catsmithmp/posts/997234490299128/
  42. https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/jul/12/labour-mps-call-uk-immediately-recognise-palestinian-state
  43. https://www.caabu.org/news/news/96-uk-parliamentarians-demand-action-israeli-violence-against-palestinians
  44. https://www.facebook.com/catsmithmp/videos/%25EF%25B8%258F-british-aid-is-being-held-up-for-weeks-in-gaza-being-used-as-a-weapon-with-inn/1901533343953516/
  45. https://caabudev.gn.apc.org/news/news/uk-government-pressed-palestine-syria-and-yemen-mps-foreign-affairs-questions
  46. https://www.mpwarcrimes.co.uk/parliament/cat-smith
  47. https://www.justgiving.com/page/cat-smith-palestine
  48. https://www.facebook.com/catsmithmp/videos/-the-prime-minister-has-shown-strong-leadership-in-the-fast-moving-events-of-rec/999301654901110/
  49. https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2025-03-03/debates/8E74A3E1-9EEB-4FB3-946A-F36BB28A60AC/Ukraine
  50. https://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=2025-03-03c.25.0
  51. https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/jul/21/labour-disarray-welfare-48-mps-defy-whips
  52. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-33608826
  53. https://national.thelead.uk/p/inside-the-labour-welfare-rebellion
  54. https://leftfootforward.org/2025/07/the-full-list-of-labour-mps-who-voted-against-keir-starmers-welfare-reform-bill/
  55. https://www.beyond.radio/news/local-news/local-mps-go-against-government-as-watered-down-welfare-cuts-pass-key-vote/
  56. https://www.publicwhip.org.uk/mp.php?mpn=Cat_Smith
  57. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-lancashire-36366980
  58. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/05/24/police-looking-into-labour-shadow-ministers-election-expenses/
  59. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3606775/Police-investigate-claims-Jeremy-Corbyn-s-shadow-minister-Cat-Smith-broke-election-spending-law.html
  60. https://www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/article/police-investigate-labour-mp-s-election-expenses-dshw5zn9h
  61. https://www.wigantoday.net/news/police-probe-into-town-mp-election-expenses-660357
  62. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-lancashire-37989040
  63. https://www.lep.co.uk/news/lancashire-mp-cleared-after-election-spending-investigation-761785
  64. https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/755769/Jeremy-Corbyn-Cat-Smith-Labour-Party-expenses-claims-IPSA-Ben-Soffa-Lancaster-Fleetwood
  65. https://www.lancasterguardian.co.uk/news/people/lancaster-and-morecambe-mps-expenses-for-the-last-financial-year-revealed-3116928
  66. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-lancashire-41238604
  67. https://www.the-independent.com/news/uk/politics/mp-rape-threats-facebook-online-cat-smith-police-labour-lancaster-fleetwood-a7942276.html
  68. https://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/news/police-probe-online-abuse-aimed-at-mp-840590
  69. https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/4441714/labour-mp-cat-smith-calls-in-police-after-horrific-rape-threats-but-facebook-say-vile-messages-do-not-breach-their-rules/
  70. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-40717230
  71. https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2017-09-14/debates/33680E1C-D57C-4071-994D-011ADA9FC721/GeneralElectionCampaignAbuseAndIntimidation
  72. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-41803302
  73. https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/shadow-minister-says-sexually-harassed-11435085
  74. https://labourlist.org/2013/08/call-a-spade-a-spade-and-a-socialist-a-socialist/
  75. https://www.express.co.uk/news/politics/729750/Boundary-commission-changes-Cat-Smith-David-Morris-Labour-Jeremy-Corbyn-Tory-politics
  76. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/12/29/labour-frontbencher-cat-smith-accused-height-hypocrisy-attacked/
  77. https://www.lancasterguardian.co.uk/news/lancaster-mp-cat-smith-marries-at-williamson-park-658877
  78. https://www.nwemail.co.uk/news/barrow/16451563.barrow-born-mp-weds-her-partner-with-labour-leader-among-the-guests/
  79. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8305595/Labour-MP-gets-taxpayer-funded-flat-six-miles-husbands-home.html
  80. https://www.lancasterguardian.co.uk/news/lancaster-mp-thrilled-after-birth-of-first-baby-651918
  81. https://www.lancasterguardian.co.uk/news/uk-news/lancaster-and-fleetwood-mp-reveals-challenges-of-juggling-new-mother-and-westminster-roles-2889616
  82. https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/16728992/snp-mp-dating-labour-frontbencher/
  83. https://www.heraldscotland.com/politics/19577893.snp-mp-finds-love-labour-benches/
  84. https://www.politico.eu/article/britain-uk-westminster-power-couple-2024-ranking/
  85. https://www.facebook.com/catsmithmp/posts/%25EF%25B8%258F-last-weekend-i-attended-the-final-service-at-hollins-lane-methodist-church-for/1340417994107915/
  86. https://www.mchw.live/live-stream/31-jan-pm
  87. https://www.christiansinparliament.org.uk/about/our-people/
  88. https://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/25432/cat_smith/lancaster_and_wyre/memberships
  89. https://www.premier.plus/the-london-institute-for-contemporary-christianity/podcasts/the-whole-life-podcast/election-special-cat-smith-labour-a-christian-perspective
  90. https://www.facebook.com/catsmithmp/posts/%25EF%25B8%258F-it-was-such-a-privilege-to-speak-at-lancaster-pride-today%25EF%25B8%258F-as-a-proud-christia/1019335422882842/
  91. https://www.meresearch.org.uk/westminster-debate-on-pots/
  92. https://www.actionforme.org.uk/cat-smith-mp-joins-our-parliamentary-champions-network/
  93. https://members.parliament.uk/member/4436/writtenquestions
  94. https://www.catsmith.co.uk/health/
  95. https://www.runnersworld.com/uk/news/a60989486/politicians-running/
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