MP Friern Barnet becomes junior minister

Catherine West has been appointed Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

One of Barnet’s MPs has been named a junior minister as Keir Starmer continues to name his new government.

Catherine West, MP for the new seat of Hornsey and Friern Barnet, has been appointed Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. She served as shadow minister for Asia and the Pacific from December 2021 until the general election.

West was first elected as MP for Hornsey and Wood Green in 2015. The new seat, including Friern Barnet council ward, was contested for the first time in last week’s election following boundary changes.

West is the second Barnet MP to be given a ministerial role after Finchley and Golders Green MP Sarah Sackman was appointed solicitor-general yesterday.

Independent news outlets like ours – which report for the community without wealthy backers – are under threat of closure, turning Britain’s cities into news deserts.

The public they serve know less, understand less, and can do less.

If our coverage has helped you understand our community a little better, please consider supporting us with a monthly, annual or one-time donation.

Choose the news. Don’t miss the news.

Monthly direct debit

Annual direct debit

£5 a month backers get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else, £10 a month backers get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else and a print copy posted each month. Annual £50 backers get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else. Annual £84 backers get a hard copy by post and a digital copy of each month before anyone else.

More information about supporting us monthly

More information about donations