Catherine Fookes

Catherine Fookes
MP
Official portrait, 2024
Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Prime Minister
In office
11 September 2025 – 20 July 2026
Prime MinisterKeir Starmer
Preceded byChris Ward
Liz Twist
Member of Parliament
for Monmouthshire
Incumbent
Assumed office
4 July 2024
Preceded byDavid TC Davies
Majority3,338 (6.5%)
Monmouthshire County Councillor for Town Ward
In office
5 May 2022 – 22 September 2024
Preceded byWard established
Succeeded byMartin Newell
Personal details
Born (1970-10-21) 21 October 1970 (age 56)
PartyLabour
Education
WebsiteOfficial website

Catherine Ann Fookes (born October 1970) is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Monmouthshire since 2024. She was a Parliamentary Private Secretary to Prime Minister Keir Starmer from September 2025 to July 2026.

Education

Fookes was born in 1970 and was educated at the Godolphin School in Salisbury. She later studied at Middlesex Polytechnic studying Business studies and French, and later she did a master's degree in Development Studies at the University of Bath.[better source needed][better source needed]

Professional life

Fookes worked as a campaigner at ActionAid, Sustain: the alliance for better food and farming and the Organic Trade Board.[citation needed] She served as a board member on the Food and Drink Wales industry board helping to grow and promote the industry in Wales. In 2017 she became CEO of the Women's Equality Network Wales and chair of the Welsh think tank, Fabians Cymru. She is a member of the Fabian Society's executive committee.

Political career

Fookes contested Monmouth at the 2016 Assembly election, coming second place.

In 2017 Fookes contested the Wyesham ward on Monmouthshire County Council. She came second, by 24 votes, to the Welsh Conservatives' Laura Anne Jones. In 2022 she was successfully elected to the council, representing the Town ward in Monmouth.

While on the council she job-shared the equalities and engagement portfolio on the council. She quit her portfolio after being selected as Labour parliamentary candidate for the 2024 UK general election and to work on the campaign full-time.

In the 2024 general election, Fookes was elected as MP for Monmouthshire with a majority of 3,338 (6.5%), defeating former Secretary of State for Wales David TC Davies. She resigned as a local councillor in September 2024. In January 2025, Fookes was elected as a co-chair for the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for the Western Gateway - a body aimed at boosting economic development in Wales - but the group was forced to close in April 2025, after the UK and Welsh Governments cancelled its funding.

In the September 2025 reshuffle, Prime Minister Keir Starmer appointed Fookes as one of his parliamentary private secretaries. She left the post on the appointment of Andy Burnham as Prime Minister in July 2026.

Fookes served on the Water (Special Measures) Bill committee. Fookes has campaigned on local issues such as repairing Inglis Bridge in Monmouth and implementing step free access at Chepstow Station. Fookes voted in favour of the UK government taxing farmers with its proposed inheritance tax. Fookes faced criticism from farming unions over the decision.

Fookes voted in favour of removing the winter fuel allowance to pensioners.

In January 2025, Fookes voted against an inquiry being held into grooming gangs, calling it a "political stunt".

During the potential Labour Party leadership contest in May 2026, Fookes disagreed with those calling for Keir Starmer and Chancellor Rachel Reeves to resign, stating she supported both.

References

  1. ↑ Tomos Oakley (22 June 2026). ""Kind, hard-working, decent and thoughtful" Starmer made an enormous impact, says Fookes". Abergavenny Chronicle. Retrieved 25 June 2026.
  2. ↑ "Catherine Ann Fookes – Companies House". gov.uk. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
  3. ↑ "Catherine Fookes".
  4. ↑ Mosalski, Ruth (5 July 2024). "The full list of all 32 MPs in Wales and who they are". Wales Online. Retrieved 6 December 2025.
  5. ↑ Fookes, Catherine (29 September 2017). "WEN Wales Announces New Director". Women's Equality Network Wales. Archived from the original on 22 August 2024. Retrieved 22 August 2024.
  6. 1 2 Owen, Twm (5 July 2024). "General election 2024: Labour win in Monmouthshire". South Wales Argus. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  7. ↑ "Executive committee". Fabian Society. 30 January 2018. Retrieved 4 September 2025.
  8. ↑ "Monmouth - Welsh Assembly constituency - Election 2016 - BBC News". Retrieved 24 June 2026.
  9. ↑ "Election results for Wyesham, 4 May 2017". Monmouthshire County Council. 4 May 2017. Archived from the original on 7 July 2024. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
  10. ↑ "Wyesham Ward". Local Elections Archive Project. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
  11. ↑ "Election results for Town, 5 May 2022". monmouthshire sir fynwy. 5 May 2022. Archived from the original on 25 September 2023. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
  12. ↑ Owen, Twm (17 May 2023). "Monmouthshire cabinet: Catherine Fookes and Tudor Thomas out". South Wales Argus. Retrieved 4 July 2024.
  13. ↑ "Councillor details – County Councillor Catherine Fookes – Modern Council". Monmouthshire Sir Fynwy. Archived from the original on 7 July 2024. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
  14. ↑ "Newly elected MP resigns from seat she was elected to at 2022 elections". South Wales Argus. 22 September 2024. Retrieved 14 February 2025.
  15. ↑ Wood, David (10 January 2025). "MPs and peers join new group to support Western Gateway". Punchline Gloucester. Retrieved 26 February 2025.
  16. ↑ "Wales-England border body Western Gateway loses funding". www.bbc.co.uk. 24 April 2025.
  17. ↑ "Parliamentary private secretaries". Institute for Government. 4 November 2019. Retrieved 24 June 2026.
  18. ↑ "Monmouthshire MP chosen to scrutinise water pollution bill". South Wales Argus. 7 January 2025. Retrieved 23 June 2026.
  19. ↑ "Work could soon begin on long-awaited bridge repairs". South Wales Argus. 21 January 2026. Retrieved 23 June 2026.
  20. ↑ "MP launches petition to upgrade Gwent railway station". South Wales Argus. 29 November 2025. Retrieved 23 June 2026.
  21. ↑ Mansfield, Mark (2 December 2025). "Welsh Labour MPs slammed over vote backing inheritance tax changes for farmers". Nation.Cymru. Retrieved 25 June 2026.
  22. ↑ Oakley, Tomos (3 December 2025). "Fookes under fire for voting with government on family farm tax". Abergavenny Chronicle. Archived from the original on 10 March 2026. Retrieved 25 June 2026.
  23. ↑ https://www.abergavennychronicle.com/news/mps-social-media-post-vows-to-support-pensioners-three-months-before-she-votes-to-axe-winter-fuel-allowance-722162
  24. ↑ "Monmouthshire MP criticised in Senedd". Monmouthshire Beacon. 27 March 2025. Retrieved 22 October 2026.
  25. ↑ "MP hits out over 'misleading' claims over vote on 'grooming gangs' inquiry". South Wales Argus. 10 January 2025. Retrieved 22 October 2026.
  26. ↑ Price, Emily (12 May 2026). "Welsh Labour MP throws support behind Prime Minister Keir Starmer". Nation.Cymru. Retrieved 13 May 2026.
  27. ↑ Oakley, Tomos (22 June 2026). "MP says "kind, hard-working and decent" Starmer leaves incredible legacy". Abergavenny Chronicle. Archived from the original on 23 June 2026. Retrieved 24 June 2026.