Catherine West was appointed Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office on 9 July 2024. Since 2015 she has been the Labour MP for Hornsey and Friern Barnet. Catherine studied modern languages and social work at the University of Sydney, before earning a Master’s degree in Chinese studies at the School of Oriental and African Studies in London. Before entering politics, Catherine was a social worker. She also worked with refugees in London during the Balkans crisis from 1998 to 2000. Catherine was leader of Islington London Borough Council from 2010 to 2013. Catherine held shadow minister roles for Asia and the Pacific (2021 to 2024), Europe and the Americas (2020 to 2021), Sport (2020), and Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (2015 to 2017). Catherine was previously a member of the International Trade Select Committee (2017 to 2018) and the Foreign Affairs Select Committee (2018 to 2019).In 2022, Catherine received the Patchwork Foundation’s MP of the Year award for her work with diverse communities underrepresented in public life. In 2012 she was awarded Local Government Leader of the Year Award by her peers.