Angela Smith, Baroness Smith of Basildon

Smith lost her seat to the Conservatives at the 2010 general election, contesting the reformed South Basildon and East Thurrock constituency. She was appointed to the House of Lords shortly after her defeat, where she became Shadow Deputy Chief Whip in 2012 and Shadow Leader in 2015.

Early life

Smith was born on 7 January 1959 in London, England. She attended Pitsea Junior School and Chalvedon Comprehensive (later Chalvedon School) in Basildon, before studying Public Administration at Leicester Polytechnic, where she graduated with a BA degree. In 1978, she married Nigel Smith, who has written a number of history books for Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4.

From 1982 to 1983, Smith was a trainee accountant with the London Borough of Newham. She then worked for the League Against Cruel Sports from 1983 to 1995, becoming the head of Political and Public Relations. She was a political researcher from 1995 to 1997.

Smith was a member of Essex County Council from 1989 and a member of the Fire Authority for the County of Essex.

Parliamentary career

House of Commons

Having previously contested Southend West in the 1987 general election, Smith was selected to stand for election for Labour in Basildon nearly a decade later in December 1995 through an all-women shortlist. She was elected for Basildon at the 1997 general election, replacing the Conservative MP David Amess, who had moved to contest the nearby safer seat of Southend West, which Smith previously fought herself, when Basildon's boundaries were slightly redrawn. Amess's hold on the seat had always been tenuous even in Tory landslides, and he knew the new boundaries all but assured his small majority would be overturned by Labour. She was re-elected comfortably in 2001 and 2005.

In December 1997, Smith introduced the Private Member's Bill to minimise waste generation, and was successful in negotiating its passage through Parliament to become the Waste Minimisation Act 1998.

In government

Smith was appointed a Government Whip in 2001, before being promoted to Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Northern Ireland in October 2002. In 2006, she was moved to the Department for Communities and Local Government, with responsibility for Fire Services.

On 28 June 2007, Smith was appointed as a Parliamentary Private Secretary to the new prime minister Gordon Brown, entitling her to attend Cabinet. She gave up this role at the reshuffle of June 2009, to enter Government in the Cabinet Office as Minister of State for the Third Sector, when she was sworn of the Privy Council.

The old Basildon seat was abolished in the 2010 general election, and she stood for and lost the contest to the new South Basildon and East Thurrock constituency, which predominantly covered much of the area she represented in Parliament, to the Conservative candidate Stephen Metcalfe. Adverse boundary changes contributed to her defeat, as some of her voters were moved into the new Basildon and Billericay seat, whilst the new South Basildon seat took in strong Conservative wards in East Thurrock. Labour would have possibly held the old Basildon seat, and Smith herself said in a 2011 House of Lords debate: "Prior to my election to the other place in 1997, the constituency boundaries in my constituency were redrawn. For the 2010 election, the constituency boundaries were redrawn again, which may explain why I am in your Lordships' House and not in the other place".

Expenses

Main article: United Kingdom parliamentary expenses scandal

In June 2009 Smith had to repay over £1,000 for wrongly claimed Council Tax expenses and service charges for her second property in Elephant and Castle. A review by Sir Thomas Legg uncovered further monies over-claimed by Baroness Smith making a total of £1,429 which she later returned.

House of Lords

Smith was created a Life Peer as Baroness Smith of Basildon, of Basildon in the County of Essex, on 7 July 2010, following the 2010 Dissolution Honours List. She was introduced into the House of Lords the next day.

In the Lords, Smith was Labour Spokeswoman for Energy and Climate Change from 2010 to 2013, Northern Ireland from 2011 to 2012 and the Home Office from 2012 to 2015. She also served as Opposition Deputy Whip in the House of Lords from 2012 to 2015. On 27 May 2015, Smith was elected unopposed as Labour's Leader in the Lords, and so joined Harriet Harman's Shadow Cabinet.

In June 2016, Smith and Lords chief whip Lord Bassam of Brighton stated they would boycott shadow cabinet meetings while Jeremy Corbyn remained leader of the Labour Party, but returned to attending shadow cabinet four months later.

In September 2017, she was named at Number 71 in 'The 100 Most Influential People on the Left' by commentator Iain Dale.

Shadow cabinet

In April 2020, Corbyn resigned and as the leadership election ensued which was later won by Keir Starmer, Smith remained as Shadow Leader of the House of Lords.

In September 2021, she made comments regarding Corbyn and the Labour Party's conference in Brighton. She stressed that Corbyn should not attempt to disrupt Starmer's efforts to reshape the party's direction. This was in light of Corbyn's planned participation in a parallel event linked to Momentum, which had supported his leadership.

Smith strongly advocated for reforming the House of Lords, aligning with Labour's broader constitutional review led by former prime minister Gordon Brown. She favoured replacing the current House with an elected chamber, acknowledging the existing system as "indefensible." However, she was pragmatic about the time and the complexities involved in immediate constitutional change. Smith emphasised that the initial years of a Labour government would likely focus on more immediate issues such as economic growth and addressing the cost of living crisis, rather than undertaking a complete overhaul of the Lords.

Leader of the House of Lords (2024–present)

Following the Labour Party's landslide victory in the 2024 general election, Baroness Basildon was appointed as Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal by Prime Minister Keir Starmer on 5 July.

Political positions

An active supporter of animal welfare, Smith is a patron of Freedom for Animals, a charity campaigning for an end to the use of animals in circuses, zoos and the exotic pet trade.

Notes

As Member of Parliament for South Basildon and East Thurrock.

References

"Ministerial Appointments: July 2024". Prime Minister's Office, 10 Downing Street. Gov.UK. 5 July 2024. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
House of Lords Business — 8 July 2010 UK Parliament
New Fire Minister in Basildon Essex Fire and Rescue Service; Accessed 9 October 2006 Archived 1 October 2006 at the Wayback Machine
"Seats with Labour candidates from all-female shortlists". The Independent. 9 January 1996. Archived from the original on 7 May 2022. Retrieved 25 April 2010.
Waste Minimisation Act 1998 National Archives
Angela Evans Smith is new Third Sector Minister Third Sector, 8 June 2009
"Angela Smith". Retrieved 20 June 2016.
"Monday 17 January 2011: 17 Jan 2011: House of Lords debates". TheyWorkForYou.
Angela Smith overclaimed nearly £1,500 of expenses Third Sector, 5 February 2010
"No. 59485". The London Gazette. 12 July 2010. p. 13181.
Lords Debates 7 July 2010, c 333 UK Parliament
"Baroness Smith of Basildon". Retrieved 20 June 2016.
"Who's staying and who's going in the shadow cabinet?". BBC News. 28 June 2016. Retrieved 29 January 2019.
Edwards, Peter (11 October 2016). "Peers return to shadow Cabinet four months after summer rebellion". LabourList. Retrieved 29 January 2019.
Dale, Iain (25 September 2017). "The 100 Most Influential People On The Left: Iain Dale's 2017 List". LBC. Retrieved 10 November 2017.
"Jeremy Corbyn Must Not 'Damage' Labour's Conference, Says Shadow Cabinet Minister". HuffPost UK. 10 September 2021. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
"Baroness Smith: 'We should be honest about what we can achieve on Lords reform'". Politics Home. 17 December 2023. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
"Ex-MP Baroness Smith of Basildon appointed leader of the House of Lords". Echo. 5 July 2024. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
"Angela Smith – Baroness Smith of Basildon". www.freedomforanimals.org.uk. Manchester: The Captive Animals' Protection Society (working as Freedom for Animals). 21 February 2018. Archived from the original on 9 June 2019. Retrieved 9 June 2019.

External links

Angela Smith: Electoral history and profile The Guardian
Angela Smith MP TheyWorkForYou.com
Voting Record – Angela Smith MP The Public Whip

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded byDavid Amess	Member of Parliament for Basildon 1997–2010	Succeeded byStephen Metcalfe
Party political offices
Preceded byThe Baroness Royall of Blaisdon	Leader of the Labour Party in the House of Lords 2015–present	Incumbent
Political offices
Preceded byThe Baroness Royall of Blaisdon	Shadow Leader of the House of Lords 2015–2024	Succeeded byThe Baron True
Preceded byThe Baron True	Leader of the House of Lords 2024–present	Incumbent
Preceded byThe Baron True	Lord Privy Seal 2024–present	Incumbent
Orders of precedence in the United Kingdom
Preceded byThe Baroness Carr of Walton-on-the-Hillas Lady Chief Justice of England and Wales	Ladies as Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal	Followed byAmbassadors and High Commissioners to the United Kingdom

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Leaders of the Opposition of the United Kingdom

House of Commons

House of Lords

v t e Starmer Cabinet
Cabinet members	Keir Starmer Angela Rayner Heidi Alexander Hilary Benn Yvette Cooper John Healey Liz Kendall Peter Kyle David Lammy Shabana Mahmood Pat McFadden Ed Miliband Ian Murray Lisa Nandy Bridget Phillipson Lucy Powell Steve Reed Rachel Reeves Jonathan Reynolds Angela Smith Jo Stevens Wes Streeting
Also attending meetings	Alan Campbell Darren Jones Richard Hermer Anneliese Dodds Ellie Reeves
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Leaders	Hardie Henderson Barnes MacDonald Henderson Adamson Clynes MacDonald Henderson Lansbury Attlee Morrison^ Gaitskell Brown^ Wilson Callaghan Foot Kinnock Smith Beckett^ Blair Brown Harman^ Miliband Harman^ Corbyn Starmer
Deputy Leaders	Clynes Graham Attlee Greenwood Morrison Griffiths Bevan Brown Jenkins Short Foot Healey Hattersley Beckett Prescott Harman Watson Rayner
General Secretaries	MacDonald Henderson Middleton Phillips Williams Barker^ Nicholas Hayward Mortimer Whitty Sawyer McDonagh Triesman Carter Watt Collins McNicol Formby Evans
Treasurers	Henderson MacDonald Henderson Lathan Greenwood Gaitskell Bevan Nicholas Davies Callaghan Atkinson Varley Booth McCluskie Burlison Prosser Elsby Dromey Holland
Leaders in the Lords	Haldane Cripps Ponsonby Snell Addison Jowitt Alexander Pakenham Shackleton Shepherd Peart Hughes Richard Jay Williams Amos Ashton Royall Smith of Basildon
Scottish Labour Leaders	Dewar McLeish Jamieson^ McConnell Jamieson^ Alexander Jamieson^ Gray Lamont Sarwar^ Murphy Gray^ Dugdale Rowley^ Baillie^ Leonard Baillie^ Sarwar
PLP Chairs	Hardie Henderson Barnes MacDonald Henderson Hodge* Wardle* Adamson Clynes MacDonald Henderson Lansbury Attlee Lees-Smith* Pethick-Lawrence* Greenwood* Gaitskell Wilson Houghton Mikardo Hughes Willey Dormand Orme Hoyle Soley Corston Clwyd Lloyd Watts Cryer Morden
EPLP Leaders	Stewart Prescott Castle Lomas Martin Seal Ford Green David Donnelly Murphy Titley Willmott Corbett
* = wartime, in opposition ^ Interim/Acting

Internal elections and selections

Leadership elections	1922 Ramsay MacDonald 1931 Arthur Henderson 1932 George Lansbury 1935 Clement Attlee 1955 Hugh Gaitskell 1960 1961 1963 Harold Wilson 1976 James Callaghan 1980 Michael Foot 1983 Neil Kinnock 1988 1992 John Smith 1994 Tony Blair 2007 Gordon Brown 2010 Ed Miliband 2015 Jeremy Corbyn 2016 2020 Keir Starmer
Deputy Leadership elections	1952 Herbert Morrison 1953 1956 Jim Griffiths 1959 Aneurin Bevan 1960 George Brown 1961 1962 1970 Roy Jenkins 1971 1972 Edward Short 1976 Michael Foot 1980 Denis Healey 1981 1983 Roy Hattersley 1988 1992 Margaret Beckett 1994 John Prescott 2007 Harriet Harman 2015 Tom Watson 2020 Angela Rayner
Shadow Cabinet elections and reshuffles	Sep 1931 (Henderson) Nov 1931 1932 (Lansbury) 1933 1934 1935 (Attlee) 1936 1937 1938 1939 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 (Gaitskell) 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 (Wilson) 1970 1971 1972 1973 1979 (Callaghan) 1980 (Foot) 1981 1982 1983 (Kinnock) 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 (Smith) 1993 1994 (Blair) 1995 1996 2010 (Miliband) June 2016 (Corbyn) May 2021 (Starmer) November 2021 2023

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Constitution	Clause IV
Executive	National Executive Committee General Secretary Treasurer
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Directly elected city mayoral authorities	London Labour
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List	Organisations associated with the Labour Party
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Media publications	LabourList Tribune

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Current	Party of European Socialists Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats Progressive Alliance Socialist International

v t e Parliamentary Private Secretaries to the Prime Minister
Prime Minister's Office
to Henry Campbell-Bannerman	Carr-Gomm 1906–1908
to H. H. Asquith	Howard 1908–1909 Lyell 1908–1915
to David Lloyd George	Barran 1916–1918 D. Davies 1916–1918 Sutherland 1916–1918, 1919–1920 Astor 1918 Sassoon 1920–1922
to Bonar Law	Davidson 1922–1923
to Stanley Baldwin	Herbert 1923–1924, 1924–1927 Rhys 1927–1929 Geoffery-Lloyd 1935 Dugdale 1935–1937
to Ramsay MacDonald	Weir 1924, 1929–1931 R. Morrison 1929–1931 Markham 1931–1932 Glyn 1931–1935 Worthington 1931–1935
to Neville Chamberlain	Douglas-Home 1937–1940
to Winston Churchill	Bracken 1940–1941 Harvie-Watt 1941–1945 Soames 1952–1955
to Clement Attlee	de Freitas 1945–1946 Moyle 1946–1951
to Anthony Eden	Carr 1955 Allan 1955–1956
to Harold Macmillan	Barber 1957–1959 K. Cunningham 1959–1963
to Alec Douglas-Home	Pearson 1963–1964
to Harold Wilson	Fernyhough 1964–1967 Shore 1965–1966 H. Davies 1967–1970 Varley 1968–1969 Hamling 1974–1975 Marks 1975 Tomlinson 1975–1976
to Edward Heath	Kitson 1970–1974
to James Callaghan	J. Cunningham 1976–1977 Stott 1977–1979
to Margaret Thatcher	Gow 1979–1983 Alison 1983–1987 Hamilton 1987–1988 Lennox-Boyd 1988–1990 P. Morrison 1990
to John Major	Bright 1990–1994 Ward 1994–1997
to Tony Blair	Coffey 1997–1998 Grocott 1997–2001 Hanson 2001–2005 Hill 2005–2007
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to Boris Johnson	Burghart 2019–2021 Heappey 2019 Harrison 2019–2021 Dines 2021–2022 Griffith 2021–2022 Duddridge 2022 Nici 2022 Morrissey 2022 Stafford 2022
to Liz Truss	Webb 2022
to Rishi Sunak	Williams 2022–2024
to Keir Starmer	Twist 2024– Ward 2024–

v t e Shadow Cabinet of Keir Starmer
Leadership	Starmer (Leader) Rayner (Deputy Leader)
Shadow Cabinet members	Allin-Khan Ashworth Campbell Cooper Debbonaire Gill Haigh Healey Kennedy Kyle Lammy Mahmood McMahon Miliband Murray Nandy Phillipson Powell Reed Reeves Reynolds Smith Stevens Streeting Thomas-Symonds Thornberry

Officers of the Parliament of the United Kingdom

House of Commons

House of Lords

Speaker	Sir Lindsay Hoyle
Leader of the Commons	Lucy Powell
Serjeant at Arms	Ugbana Oyet
Clerk of the House	Tom Goldsmith

Lord Speaker	The Lord McFall of Alcluith
Leader of the Lords	The Baroness Smith of Basildon
Black Rod	Sarah Clarke
Clerk of the Parliaments	Simon Burton

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