The opportunity to send Miriam a thank you message through our website is now closed. However, you can write to her and her office directly at miriam.cates.mp@parliament.uk.
In the spirit of Hebrews 10:24-25, Communications Officer Chris Joyce gives five reasons for joining him in sending a thank you message to Conservative MP Miriam Cates.
Last year, thousands of you – our supporters – wrote thank you messages to Maria Caulfield MP for her pro-life work after the British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS) attempted to oust her from her role as Minister for Women.
In the spirit of Hebrews 10:24-25 it would be wonderful to encourage more MPs.
One MP we can start by encouraging is Miriam Cates who, among other great things listed below, has done a wonderful job in safeguarding children from harm.
Read on for five reasons why you should join us in thanking Miriam Cates or go directly to thanking her by clicking here.
1. Miriam has spearheaded the charge against ‘extreme’, ‘graphic’ and ‘inappropriate’ sex education
As a former church school’s worker who has been involved in some form of children’s ministry since my teenage years, one issue at Christian Concern that is close to my heart is education.
It’s been painful to see the increasing influence of extreme groups like Educate & Celebrate, Mermaids and others infiltrate our schools with radical ideologies – something which hasn’t been helped by the Church of England’s own trans-affirming guidance, Valuing All God’s Children.
As a former chair of the PTA at her children’s school and current member of the Education Select Committee, Miriam clearly has a heart for the wellbeing of children and shares in this pain.
Wonderfully, it is in this vein that she has, on multiple occasions, challenged “explicit”, “graphic” and “inappropriate” sex education in our schools.
Last week, a think tank, formed by Miriam and Danny Kruger MP, published a report on the current state of Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) in our schools. The paper warns that there is strong evidence that “children are being put at risk” by groups with “a radical ideological position on sex, gender and sexuality.”
Citing evidence from the report, a letter co-ordinated by Miriam and signed by over 50 Conservative MPs calling for an independent inquiry into RSE was sent to the Prime Minister. It was signed by former education ministers Andrea Jenkyns, Brendan Clarke-Smith, Jonathan Gullis and Kelly Tolhurst, but not the current minister, Gillian Keegan, who is seen as an LGBTQ+ ally.
Despite this, Miriam’s persistence seems to have finally yielded results.
During Prime Minister’s Questions, Rishi Sunak announced he had ordered an urgent review into how sex education is taught in England and that the government would launch a consultation on the matter “as soon as possible.”
He also thanked Miriam for her work in this area.
Why not join the Prime Minister and thank Miriam Cates for spearheading the charge against age-inappropriate sex education.
2. Miriam continues to hold the government to account on reforms to transgender guidance for primary schools
The promised review and consultation into inappropriate sex education follows an earlier commitment from the government to reform transgender policies in primary schools – something which was secured by the Christian Legal Centre and Christian parents Nigel and Sally Rowe, following a five-year legal battle.
During an appearance before the Education Committee meeting in December 2022 – three months after first making the pledge to reform trans policies in primary schools – Miriam asked the Education Secretary when the guidance could be expected.
In her response, Gillian Keegan claimed that, while she completely understood the need for urgency, the new trans guidance wouldn’t be published until “early next year.”
Another three months later, and with “early next year” running out of time, Miriam asked Gillian on 27 February “what are the delays to this safeguarding guidance being produced?”.
Not being drawn into clarifying a date, Gillian said they were “working right now to get the guidance right.”
Join us in thanking Miriam Cates for safeguarding children and ensuring the government don’t drop the ball on issuing trans guidance for schools.
3. Miriam has consistently voted pro-life
Moving away from education, Miriam has been unashamed of voting pro-life.
She has consistently voted against the introduction of censorship zones outside abortion facilities, which would ban offers of pro-life support and private prayer.
Sadly, despite her votes, censorship zones outside abortion facilities are due to become a reality when the Public Order Bill passes later this year.
Miriam had co-sponsored an amendment that sought to prevent the censoring of silent prayer, but it failed to pass and was rejected by MPs in a free vote by 116 votes to 299. She also voted against the permanent introduction of ‘DIY’ abortions.
In a comment piece for Conservative Home, Miriam argued that ‘DIY’ abortions contribute to coercion and abuse, are medically dangerous, and called on the government “to prioritise the security and welfare of women facing unplanned pregnancies.”
Join us in thanking Miriam Cates for voting pro-life and being unashamed at supporting pro-life measures.
4. Miriam has called for the investigation of groups like Mermaids and Stonewall
Miriam is one of few MPs who has used her platform to highlight the dangers of groups like Mermaids and Stonewall.
Following news that Mermaids was sending breast flattening devices to young girls behind their parents back, promoting harmful medical and surgical procedures to children, and had hired a trustee with links to paedophile organisations, she declared during Prime Ministers Questions that it was “high time for a police investigation into the activities of Mermaids and its staff.”
She continued to apply pressure by repeating those claims a week later on GB News. Speaking to Calvin Robinson, she said: “The safeguarding red flags are all over the place… The fact that they’re sending chest binders to children and not informing their parents, that’s a massive one to begin with but also they’re promoting harmful medical and surgical procedures to children.”
The pressure she applied likely played a big role in the Department for Education removing Mermaids from their list of mental health and wellbeing resources.
Miriam has had other dangerous groups in her crosshairs too. During an Education Select Committee meeting, last year, she challenged the head of Ofsted, Amanda Spielman, over activist groups like Stonewall using schools to promote their agendas via explicit and age-inappropriate materials.
As mentioned earlier, some progress is being made on external groups visiting schools thanks, in part, to her efforts.
Join us in thanking Miriam Cates for safeguarding children from extreme groups like Educate & Celebrate, Mermaids and Stonewall.
5. Miriam continues to speak out in the face of verbal attacks
Miriam has continued to speak out on a variety of issues and has not cowered in the face of hostility.
Earlier this year, Miriam was verbally attacked in the House of Commons by Labour MP Lloyd Russell-Moyle after she had raised valid safety concerns about Scotland’s Gender Recognition Reform Bill.
Russell-Moyle lashed out against Miriam after she explained how the proposed law would make it “vastly easier for a predator to get access to children.” She also highlighted the negative implications the bill would have on safeguarding children from sexual abuse and safe spaces for women.
Concluding her speech, the MP, who has a degree in genetics, said: “You cannot change your sex any more than you can change your place of birth or who your parents are… but if the law is not based on fact then how can we trust the law?”
Join us in thanking Miriam Cates for continuing to speak out on important issues in the face of hostility.
The opportunity to send Miriam a thank you message through our website is now closed. However, you can write to her and her office directly at miriam.cates.mp@parliament.uk and office@penistoneandstocksbridgeconservatives.org.uk. Thank you to everyone who sent a message.
