Laura Smith (politician)

Laura Smith
MP
Member of Parliament
for Crewe and Nantwich
Assumed office
9 June 2017
Preceded by Edward Timpson
Majority 48 (0.09%)
Personal details
Political party Labour
Alma mater Manchester Metropolitan University

Laura Smith is a British Labour Party politician who was elected as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Crewe and Nantwich at the 2017 general election,[1] defeating the incumbent Conservative Edward Timpson by 48 votes.[2]

Early life and career

Smith attended Brine Leas School in Nantwich, Cheshire and South Cheshire College in Crewe.[3] She went on to study at Crewe campus of Manchester Metropolitan University, qualifying as a school teacher. She founded a tutoring business, called One-to-One Learning UK, based in Nantwich, where she worked with hundreds of schoolchildren in the local area.[4][5]

Political career

Smith was involved in the campaign against school funding cuts in Cheshire East. She told the Crewe Chronicle: "I sat at home after going to a public meeting at Brine Leas School" about proposed education cuts "and I decided enough was enough regarding the funding for schools and I posted something on Facebook. From that, I got involved with the fairer funding".[6]

Smith was announced as the Labour Party candidate for the Crewe and Nantwich constituency in the snap 2017 general election on 1 May 2017.[7] She launched her campaign on 3 May, saying "What ordinary people need are decent well-paid jobs and greater job security. In this race locally, I am the only candidate committed to that." She also said that she was not a "natural-born politician" and promised to be a "different sort of MP if elected that remains accessible and up front with her constituents".[8] In the election, Smith defeated incumbent Conservative junior minister Edward Timpson by 48 votes, overturning a majority of 3,620. She declared that the result "sent a message to the establishment and the elite", the seat having been held by the Conservatives in elections since Gwyneth Dunwoody died in 2008. The seat saw a 3.7% swing to Labour, and an increase in turnout of 3%, to just under 70%.[6][9]

On 13 June 2018, Smith and five other Labour MPs resigned their roles as frontbenchers for the Labour Party in protest at Labour’s Brexit position. Leader Jeremy Corbyn had instructed his MPs to abstain in a vote which Britain would remain in the single market by joining the European Economic Area (EEA). Following her resignation Smith voted against the EEA.[10] Smith also resigned her position as a Shadow Cabinet Office Minister.[11]

In September 2018 Smith called for a general strike to "topple" Theresa May's Conservative government. Deputy Labour Leader, Tom Watson, quickly distanced the Labour Party from Smith saying her comments were "not particularly helpful". Shadow business secretary Rebecca Long-Bailey added: "Just to make it perfectly clear a general strike is not Labour Party policy."[12]

References

  1. ↑ "Laura Smith MP". parliament.uk. Parliament UK. Archived from the original on 11 October 2017.
  2. ↑ Weale, Sally (4 July 2017). "The teacher and school cuts protester who became an MP". Archived from the original on 16 August 2017. Retrieved 18 December 2017 – via www.theguardian.com.
  3. ↑ Smith, Laura. ukwhoswho.com. Who's Who. 2018 (February 2018 online ed.). A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc. Retrieved 13 February 2018.
  4. ↑ "Stapeley mum Laura Smith selected as Labour parliamentary candidate". Nantwich News. 1 May 2017. Archived from the original on 26 November 2017. Retrieved 9 June 2017.
  5. ↑ Crewe Chronicle (1 May 2017). "Labour selects Laura Smith as its parliamentary candidate for Crewe and Nantwich". Crewe Chronicle. Archived from the original on 7 June 2017. Retrieved 9 June 2017.
  6. 1 2 Ryan, Belinda (9 June 2017). "Labour's Laura Smith wins Crewe and Nantwich seat after three recounts". Crewe Chronicle. Archived from the original on 9 June 2017. Retrieved 9 June 2017.
  7. ↑ "Stapeley mum Laura Smith selected as Labour parliamentary candidate". Nantwich News. 1 May 2017.
  8. ↑ "Laura launches her campaign in Crewe". Crewe and Nantwich Labour Party. 4 May 2017. Archived from the original on 29 July 2017. Retrieved 9 June 2017.
  9. ↑ "Labour's Laura Smith wins stunning General Election victory in Crewe & Nantwich seat". Nantwich News. 9 June 2017. Archived from the original on 29 July 2017. Retrieved 9 June 2017.
  10. ↑ Culbertson, Alix (14 June 2018). "Six Labour MPs quit frontbench roles over key Brexit vote". Sky News. Retrieved 14 June 2018.
  11. ↑ Morris, Nigel (13 June 2018). "Six Labour frontbenchers resign in protest at Labour's Brexit position". i News. Retrieved 14 June 2018.
  12. ↑ BBC (26 September 2018). "'General strike' MP Laura Smith got carried away, says Tom Watson". BBC. Retrieved 26 September 2018.
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Edward Timpson		 Member of Parliament for Crewe and Nantwich
2017–present		 Incumbent
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