By Ben Kerrigan-
Conservative Member of Parliament, Miriam Cates,(pictured) is currently under investigation by Parliament’s standards watchdog, the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, for alleged actions causing “significant damage to the reputation of the House as a whole, or of its members generally.”
The details of the investigation are confidential, leaving both the nature of the claims and the subject of the inquiry undisclosed. All those under the investigation are barred from discussing the allegations.
Cates, the elected MP for Penistone and Stocksbridge since 2019, has been a prominent figure within the right-wing New Conservatives group, standing alongside fellow backbencher Danny Kruger.
Her outspoken advocacy for policies promoting marriage and addressing declining fertility rates in Britain has added to her visibility in parliamentary discussions.
The investigation places Cates among a group of eight MPs currently under scrutiny by the Standards Commissioner. Other members facing inquiries include Deputy Speaker Dame Eleanor Laing, veteran conservative Sir Bernard Jenkin, and Reclaim MP Andrew Bridgen.
The Standards Commissioner, Daniel Greenberg, conducts confidential investigations, with details only made public once the inquiry concludes. Members under investigation are bound by confidentiality rules and are prohibited from discussing the allegations.
The probe into Cates’s conduct raises questions about the potential impact on her political standing and the broader implications for the Conservative party.
As a backbench MP and a significant voice within the New Conservatives group, any findings resulting from the investigation could have consequences for her reputation and standing within the party.
The Parliament’s Standards Commissioner plays a crucial role in upholding accountability and ensuring the integrity of the House of Commons.