Catherine West MP was awarded the prestigious overall MP of the Year award by the Patchwork Foundation at an event in Speaker’s House tonight.

The award, as nominated by the public and selected by an independent panel was given to Catherine for her work “on a range of issues and advocacy for different communities”.  The Patchwork Foundation is an organisation set up to support the participation of young people in democracy and civil society, particularly those from disadvantaged and under-represented communities.

Catherine West MP said: “It is such an honour to receive this award and I would like to thank everyone who nominated me. I have been the Member of Parliament for Hornsey and Wood Green for nearly 7 years now – I represent a diverse, creative and articulate constituency and I would like to thank them for their continued support and trust. I set up my summer school to push open the doors of Westminster to young people of all backgrounds and make them feel that politics is for them. I’ll be organising my next summer school soon, keep an eye on my website for further details on how to take part.

All MPs have a responsibility to empower young people and those from under-represented backgrounds and give them a platform to give voice to their ideas. Democracy is stronger when it truly represents all our communities and I’ll always use my platform to make sure different voices are heard.

I would also like to pay tribute to my wonderful team. Whether it is dealing with foreign diplomats, emails in different languages, or writing speeches for my debates, demands on my office have become ever more eclectic. The cost-of-living crisis has put even more strain on my small but exceptional team but as always, they continue to outperform. Thank you team, and thank you Patchwork for all the brilliant work you do with young people.”