Jeff Smith | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Lord Commissioner of the Treasury | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Assumed office 10 July 2024 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Prime Minister | Keir Starmer | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Member of Parliament for Manchester Withington | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Assumed office 7 May 2015 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | John Leech | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Majority | 13,982 (33.5%) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Member of Manchester City Council for Old Moat | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 1997–2015 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Garry Bridges | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Personal details | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Born | Manchester,United Kingdom | 26 January 1963||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Political party | Labour | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Alma mater | University of Manchester | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Website | Official website | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Jeff Smith (born 26 January 1963) is a British Labour Party politician serving as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Manchester Withington since 2015,Lord Commissioner of the Treasury (Government Whip) since 2024.
A former Manchester City Councillor,he served as an opposition whip in Parliament from 2015 to 2021,as Shadow Minister for Local Government from May to 4 December 2021;as Shadow Minister for Sport,Tourism,Heritage and Music from December 2021 –August 2023,as Shadow Minister for Clean Power and Consumers from September –December 2023,Senior Whip in the Opposition Whips Office. [1] from December 2023 - July 2024.
Smith was a pupil at the private Manchester Grammar School, [2] and graduated from the University of Manchester with a degree in Politics and Economics in 1984. [3] He was a member of the University of Manchester Students' Union Executive from 1984 to 1985 as the Entertainments Officer.
A former councillor for Old Moat ward on Manchester City Council from 1997,he served as the Executive Member for Finance on the council and was a governor at Parrs Wood High School. [4] [5]
Smith was selected as the Labour Party candidate for the Manchester Withington constituency in June 2013, [6] ahead of Angela Rayner and fellow Manchester councillor Andrew Simcock. [7] At the general election in May 2015,Smith was elected,defeating the incumbent MP,Liberal Democrat John Leech,with a majority of 14,873. [8]
Smith served as a senior Opposition whip from 2015 to 2021. [9] He supported Owen Smith in the 2016 Labour Party leadership election. [10]
In July 2015,Jeff Smith voted to prevent the government's Welfare Bill going through on the second reading,and voted against it at the third reading. [11]
Smith campaigned to remain in the European Union. [12] In January 2017,he voted against triggering Article 50. [13] On 14 March 2019,Smith voted to reject the then prime minister Theresa May's Brexit deal and a no-deal Brexit. [14]
Smith was re-elected at the 2017 snap general election,securing 71.7% of the vote and more than doubling his majority over John Leech,re-contesting the seat,to 29,875 (55.8%). [15]
Smith is Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Mental Health, [16] and sits on the advisory board of theMoney and Mental Health Policy Institute. [17] He is Vice Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Humanist Group. [18]
Smith co-founded the Labour Campaign for Drug Policy Reform with Thangam Debbonaire, [19] and is Co-Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Drug Policy Reform. [20] On 20 April 2020,Smith appeared in a virtual online 4/20 event hosted by Voltfacehub,where he spoke in favour of the decriminalisation and regulation of the drug cannabis. [21]
Smith was appointed as the Shadow Minister for Local Government in the May 2021 Labour reshuffle,filling the position made vacant following Kate Hollern's resignation. [22] Smith was appointed Shadow Minister for Sport,Tourism,Heritage and Music on 4 December in the Shadow Culture department. In the 2023 British shadow cabinet reshuffle,he was appointed Shadow Minister for Clean Power and Consumers on 5 September 2023. [23]
Smith is a parliamentary supporter of both Labour Friends of Israel [24] and Labour Friends of Palestine and the Middle East. [25]
Smith's mother was born in Dublin. His grandfather,Jack McDermott,was an Irish trade unionist who brought his family to Manchester when he was elected general secretary of the Amalgamated Society of Woodworkers. [26]
Smith's Jewish great-grandmother,Rosa Simonson,came to Manchester in the 1880s to escape antisemitic persecution in what is now Poland. [27]
Before being elected,Smith was an event manager and DJ, [28] and has performed regularly at V Festival and club nights Poptastic in Manchester and Star in Leeds. [29]
Stephen Daniel Twigg is a British Labour Co-op politician who has served as the 8th Secretary-General of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association since August 2020. He served as Member of Parliament for Enfield Southgate from 1997 to 2005,and for Liverpool West Derby from 2010 to 2019.
Margaret Ann Coffey is a British former politician who was Member of Parliament (MP) for Stockport from 1992 to 2019. A former member of the Labour Party,she defected to form Change UK.
Caroline Louise Flint is a British politician who served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Don Valley from 1997 to 2019. A member of the Labour Party,she attended the Cabinet as Minister for Housing and Planning in 2008 and Minister for Europe from 2008 to 2009.
Gareth Richard Thomas is a British Labour politician who has served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Harrow West since 1997. He has served as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Services,Small Business and Exports since July 2024. Thomas served as Minister of State for International Development and Minister of State for Trade,Investment and Consumer Affairs between 2008 and 2010. He was the Chair of the Co-operative Party from 2001 until 2019,and stands for election as a Labour and Co-operative candidate.
Andrew John Gwynne is a British Labour and Co-operative politician who has served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Gorton and Denton,previously Denton and Reddish,since 2005. He was Shadow Minister for Social Care from 2023 to the 2024 election. He is currently serving as the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Public Health and Prevention.
Patrick Bosco McFadden is a British politician who has served as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster since July 2024. A member of the Labour Party,he has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Wolverhampton South East since 2005. McFadden has previously held various junior ministerial positions and shadow portfolios in his parliamentary career between 2005 and 2024.
Michael Lee Amesbury is a British Labour politician who has served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Runcorn and Helsby,previously Weaver Vale,since 2017. He has served as Shadow Minister for Building Safety and Homelessness since 2023. He previously served as Shadow Minister for Employment from 2018 to 2020,Shadow Minister for Housing from 2020 to 2021 and Shadow Minister for Local Government from 2021 to 2022.
Lisa Eva Nandy is a British Labour Party politician serving as Secretary of State for Culture,Media and Sport since 2024. She has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Wigan since 2010. Nandy previously served as Shadow Foreign Secretary,Shadow Levelling Up Secretary,Shadow Energy Secretary and Shadow International Development Minister.
Katherine Anne Green OBE JP is a British politician serving as Deputy Mayor of Greater Manchester for Policing and Crime since 2023. She previously served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Stretford and Urmston between 2010 and 2022. A member of the Labour Party,she served as Shadow Minister for Women and Equalities from 2015 to 2016,Chair of the Committees on Privileges and Standards from 2018 to 2020,and Shadow Secretary of State for Education from 2020 to 2021.
Yvonne Helen Fovargue is a British Labour Party politician who served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Makerfield from 2010 to 2024.
Jonathan Neil Reynolds is a British politician who has served as Secretary of State for Business and Trade and President of the Board of Trade since July 2024. A member of the Labour and Co-operative parties,he has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Stalybridge and Hyde since 2010.
Lucy Maria Powell is a British politician who has served as Leader of the House of Commons and Lord President of the Council since July 2024. A member of the Labour and Co-operative parties,she has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Manchester Central since 2012.
Anneliese Jane Dodds is a British Labour and Co-operative politician and public policy analyst serving as Minister of State for Development and Minister of State for Women and Equalities since July 2024. She previously served as Chair of the Labour Party from 2021 to 2024. She was Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer from April 2020 to May 2021,the first woman to hold the position,and Shadow Secretary of State for Women and Equalities from 2021 to 2024. She has been Member of Parliament (MP) for Oxford East since 2017 and was a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for South East England from 2014 to 2017.
Helen Olivia Bicknell Whately is a British Conservative Party politician who has been Member of Parliament (MP) for Faversham and Mid Kent since 2015 and Shadow Secretary of State for Transport since July 2024. She served as Minister of State for Social Care from October 2022 to July 2024,and previously from 2020 to 2021. She also served as Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury from 2021 to 2022.
Thangam Elizabeth Rachel Debbonaire is a British politician who was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Bristol West between 2015 and 2024. A member of the Labour Party,she served as Shadow Secretary of State for Culture,Media and Sport from 2023 until 2024. She was previously Shadow Secretary of State for Housing from 2020 to 2021 and Shadow Leader of the House of Commons from 2021 to 2023.
Neil Alan John Coyle is a British Labour politician who has served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Bermondsey and Old Southwark since 2015.
Joanna Meriel Stevens is a Welsh politician serving as Secretary of State for Wales since 2024. A member of the Labour Party,she has been a Member of Parliament (MP) since 2015,representing Cardiff East since 2024,having previously represented Cardiff Central.
Louise Margaret Haigh is a British politician who has served as Secretary of State for Transport since July 2024. A member of the Labour Party,she has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Sheffield Heeley since 2015. She previously held various shadow ministerial and shadow cabinet portfolios between 2015 and 2024.
Stephanie Louise Peacock is a British Labour Party politician who has been Member of Parliament (MP) for Barnsley South,previously Barnsley East,since 2017. She has served as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Sport,Media,Civil Society and Youth since July 2024.
Stephen James Morgan is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Portsmouth South since 2017.
{{cite web}}
: Cite uses generic title (help)