All articles written by Cat Smith MP on PoliticsHome.com

25 Mar Parliament

Questions about how the House should operate will always arise: our committee is here to address them

The House of Commons Chamber has seen no shortage of significant legislation during this parliamentary session. From the Crime and Policing Bill to the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, House procedure has frequently taken centre stage.

02 Apr 2025 Health

Minimum unit pricing on alcohol could save lives

Not someone I often find myself agreeing with, but Milton Friedman wasn’t wrong when he said: “Only a crisis – actual or perceived – produces real change. When that crisis occurs, the actions that are taken depend on the ideas that are lying around.”

19 Mar 2025 Parliament

Reshaping procedure: Exploring new ideas for improving parliamentary practices

When you hear the word ‘procedure’ you probably think of standing orders, Erskine May and the MPs’ Guide to Procedure. But the Procedure Committee’s remit goes far beyond that.

21 Jan 2021 Health

Young people must be at the heart of Covid recovery – supporting their mental health is the first step

The government has allowed a mental health crisis to overwhelm young people. It's vital they receive urgent support, especially as we look to rebuild.

07 Oct 2020 Home affairs

The government’s voter ID plans risk disenfranchising millions of voters for the sake of a non-existent problem

The government's voter ID plans will disproportionately suppress Black, Asian and minority ethnic voters, yet there is little evidence to suggest that impersonation at polling stations is a widespread problem in Britain.

28 Aug 2020 Education

The government should be ashamed of its record on children’s well-being

Childhood is meant to be a time of optimism, but too many British teenagers have not had that experience. It's time for the government to start listening to their concerns

08 Jun 2020 Political parties

The Government must rethink its voter ID plans — or risk silencing the voices of marginalised people

The introduction of ID requirements has the potential to prevent hundreds of thousands of people casting their vote

16 Apr 2020 Coronavirus

We must get behind Keir Starmer and deliver for the millions of people who need a Labour government

When Jeremy Corbyn became leader, too many in our party stepped back. In the end that only served to bolster our opponents. We cannot make the same mistakes again.

12 Aug 2019 Education

Our politics is failing young people - it is vital they continue to make their voices heard to shape the future of this country

Writing on International Youth Day, Cat Smith MP writes that we have a generation that wants a fairer society, but instead of being supported and valued, young people have be have been disproportionately hit by austerity and had their voices ignored by this government.

23 Jul 2019 Political parties

Cat Smith MP - Voter ID is blatant voter suppression

After another shambolic set of pilots, this Government must abandon its dangerous policy immediately, writes Cat Smith MP.

06 Mar 2019

Tories 'dangerous' Voter ID plans will be a barrier for many people exercising their right to vote

The right to vote lies at the very heart of our democracy and it is disgraceful that the Tories are trying to take this away from us, says Cat Smith MP.

23 Sep 2018 Home affairs

The government is trying to rig our democratic process in its favour

The Conservatives’ plans to redraw the political map of UK constituencies is yet another example of an undemocratic power grab by this government, writes Cat Smith

05 Sep 2018

Boundary changes are yet another power grab by this Government

The Shadow Minister for Voter Engagement and Youth Affairs notes the Boundary Commissions today submit their final recommendations for new constituency boundaries to the Government. She calls for "a new review that benefits our democracy, not just the Conservative Party".