Miriam Cates

Miriam Joy Cates[2] (born 23 August 1982) is a British Conservative Party politician who was elected as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Penistone & Stocksbridge at the 2019 general election.

Miriam Cates

MP
Member of Parliament
for Penistone & Stocksbridge
Assumed office
12 December 2019
Preceded byAngela Smith
Majority7,210 (14.5%)
Personal details
Born (1982-08-23) 23 August 1982[1]
Sheffield, England
NationalityBritish
Political partyConservative
Children3
Alma materUniversity of Cambridge
WebsiteOfficial website

Early life

Cates was born in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, and attended King Edward VII School.[3][4] She studied genetics at the University of Cambridge,[5] obtained a Postgraduate Certificate in Education from Sheffield Hallam University, and worked as a science teacher in a school in Sheffield. She then became the finance director of the technology consultancy, Redemption Media.[4] Cates co-owns the company with her husband.[6]

Political career

Local Councillor

Cates was elected in 2015 as a parish councillor for Oughtibridge Ward on Bradfield Parish Council.[7] She was re-elected in 2019.[8]

Cates stood as a Conservative candidate for Stannington ward in the 2018 Sheffield City Council election. She received 898 votes and finished in third behind the Liberal Democrats candidates.[9]

Member of Parliament

Cates was selected as the Conservative candidate for Penistone & Stocksbridge on 24 October 2018.[10] Cates was elected as MP in the 2019 general election with a majority of 7,210 (14.5%) on a swing of 8.6% from Labour to the Conservatives.[11]

After her election, it was reported that a mobile app launched in 2014 by Redemption Media, a company co-owned by Cates and her husband, charged foodbanks for the services that it provided.[12] Cates commented on this by stating that the app had been developed for free, and that the first foodbank to use it had not been charged. After the app was expanded to other foodbanks, there was a set-up charge which was used to help cover development and training costs, and that by joining the app they also received a complimentary subscription to JustGiving.[13]

Policies and Views

Cates supported the UK remaining within the European Union in the 2016 UK EU membership referendum but during the election campaign she commented that she had since changed her mind and now supported Brexit.[3]

Personal life

Cates is married and has three children.[10]

References
  1. http://data.parliament.uk/membersdataplatform/services/mnis/members/query/House=Commons%7CIsEligible=true/
  2. "Members Sworn". parliament.uk. 18 December 2019. Retrieved 18 January 2020.
  3. Burn, Chris (28 November 2019). "Conservatives on course for first South Yorkshire victory since 1992 in wake of 'chicken run' MP". Yorkshire Post. Retrieved 16 December 2019.
  4. Bond, Daniel (16 December 2019). "Class of 2019: Meet the new MPs". Politics Home.
  5. Cates, Miriam. "About". Miriam Cates. Retrieved 23 January 2020.
  6. "MP responds to Foodbank app claims". Look Local. 2 January 2020.
  7. "Parish Councillor elected as MP". Bradfield Parish Council. Retrieved 23 January 2020.
  8. "Local Parish Election Results". Sheffield City Council. Retrieved 2 June 2020.
  9. "Sheffield City Council Results" (PDF). Sheffield City Council. p. 24. Retrieved 23 January 2020.
  10. Hill, Henry (25 October 2018). "Miriam Cates selected for Penistone & Stocksbridge". ConservativeHome.
  11. "Penistone & Stocksbridge". BBC News. Retrieved 14 December 2019.
  12. Wyatt, Tim (14 December 2019). "Foodbank app run by newly elected Tory MP charges charities to use it". The Independent. Retrieved 14 December 2019.
  13. Scott, Geraldine (16 December 2019). "New Yorkshire Tory MP hits back at claims she profits from foodbanks". Yorkshire Post. Retrieved 16 December 2019.
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Angela Smith		 Member of Parliament
for Penistone and Stocksbridge
2019–present		 Incumbent
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