Jeff Smith (British politician)
Jeff Smith (born 26 January 1963) is a British Labour Party politician from Manchester. He was elected at the 2015 general election as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Manchester Withington.[1] He had previously represented the Old Moat ward on Manchester City Council since 1997.
Jeff Smith | |
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Member of Parliament for Manchester Withington | |
Assumed office 7 May 2015 | |
Preceded by | John Leech |
Majority | 27,905 (52.7%) |
Personal details | |
Born | Manchester, United Kingdom | 26 January 1963
Political party | Labour |
Alma mater | University of Manchester |
Website | jeffsmith |
Early life and career
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] Smith was a member of the University of Manchester Students' Union Executive 1984–85 as Entertainments Officer. He is a former Executive Member for Finance on Manchester City Council[4] and a former governor of Parrs Wood High School.[5]
He was chosen in June 2013 as the Labour candidate for Manchester Withington[6] ahead of Angela Rayner and fellow Manchester Councillor Andrew Simcock.[7]
Parliamentary career
At the general election in May 2015, Smith was elected MP for Manchester Withington on behalf of Labour, defeating the incumbent Liberal Democrat John Leech, with a majority of 14,873. Smith was re-elected in the 2017 snap general election, securing 71.7% of the vote and more than doubling his majority over next-placed John Leech to 29,875 (55.8%).
Smith is a senior Opposition whip.[8]
In July 2015, Smith voted to prevent the government's Welfare Bill going through on the second reading, and voted against it at the third reading.[9]
He supported Owen Smith in the 2016 Labour Party (UK) leadership election.[10]
Smith campaigned to remain in the European Union[11]. In January 2017, he voted against triggering Article 50.[12] On 14 March 2019, Smith voted to reject Theresa May's Brexit deal and a no-deal Brexit.[13]
He is Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Mental Health[14] and sits on the advisory board of the Money and Mental Health Policy Institute[15].
Smith co-founded the Labour Campaign for Drug Policy Reform with Thangam Debbonaire[16] and is Co-Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Drug Policy Reform[17]. On April 20th 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.[18]
He is Vice Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Humanist Group[19].
Personal life
Smith's Jewish great-grandmother, Rosa Simonson, came to Manchester in the 1880s to escape anti-Semitic persecution in what is now Poland.[20]
Before being elected, Smith was an event manager and DJ[21], and has performed regularly at V Festival and club nights Poptastic in Manchester and Star in Leeds.[22]
References
- "Manchester Withington Parliamentary constituency: Election 2015". BBC News. Retrieved 7 May 2015.
- Kelly, Richard (29 May 2015). "Pupil Plebiscites and Leftist Leanings: Political Participation and Manchester Grammar School, 1906–2015". Political Studies Association.
- "SMITH, Jeffrey". Who's Who. ukwhoswho.com. 2017 (online ed.). A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc. (subscription or UK public library membership required) (subscription may be required or content may be available in libraries)
- "The Members of the Executive: The Executive Members in 2013 / 14". manchester.gov.uk. Manchester City Council. Archived from the original on 29 March 2014.
- "The Governing Body". Manchester, UK: Parrs Wood High School. Archived from the original on 25 November 2014.
- Wheatstone, Richard (10 June 2013). "Gloves are off as candidates set to do battle for Withington seat". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 14 September 2014.
- Crick, Michael (6 November 2013). "Unite choosing Labour's candidates: is Cameron correct?". Channel 4 News. Retrieved 16 September 2014.
- "Labour makes new Whips Office appointments". LabourList. Retrieved 24 June 2020.
- jeffsmithmp (23 July 2015). "Why we voted against the Welfare Bill – and why we abstained". Retrieved 24 June 2020.
- Smith, Mikey; Bloom, Dan (20 July 2016). "Which MPs are nominating Owen Smith in the Labour leadership contest?". Mirror. Retrieved 10 November 2018.
- "EU vote: Where the cabinet and other MPs stand". BBC News. 22 June 2016. Retrieved 24 June 2020.
- Williams, Jennifer (26 January 2017). "Labour MP Jeff Smith risks being sacked as whip after refusing to back Brexit vote". men. Retrieved 24 June 2020.
- correspondent, Peter Walker Political (14 March 2019). "What are the amendments to the article 50 extension vote and how did MPs vote?". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 24 June 2020.
- "APPG on mental health". APPG on mental health. Retrieved 24 June 2020.
- "Advisory board". Money and Mental Health Policy Institute. Retrieved 24 June 2020.
- "Founders". Labour Campaign for Drug Policy Reform. Retrieved 24 June 2020.
- "All Party Parliamentary Group for Drug Policy Reform". All Party Parliamentary Group for Drug Policy Reform. Retrieved 24 June 2020.
- https://www.instagram.com/p/B_AZ3AwHED6/?igshid=1ilyceae6c880
- "Crispin Blunt and Joan Bakewell elected as Chair and Co-Chair of humanists in Parliament". Humanists UK. 13 September 2017. Retrieved 14 September 2017.
- "Holocaust Memorial Day - Hansard". hansard.parliament.uk. Retrieved 24 June 2020.
- "About". 8 January 2018. Retrieved 24 June 2020.
- Staff writer (19 April 2010). "Corridors of Power to Wheels of Steel". Manchester Evening News. Archived from the original on 9 May 2015. Retrieved 26 January 2017.
External links
- Profile at Parliament of the United Kingdom
- Contributions in Parliament at Hansard
- Voting record at Public Whip
- Record in Parliament at TheyWorkForYou
- Appearances on C-SPAN
Parliament of the United Kingdom | ||
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Preceded by John Leech |
Member of Parliament for Manchester Withington 2015–present |
Incumbent |