Angela Smith (Sheffield MP)

Early life and career before parliament

Smith grew up in Grimsby, where her grandfather had been the Mayor. She attended Waltham Leas Primary School, now The Leas Junior School in Waltham and Tollbar Secondary School, in New Waltham, Lincolnshire.

She joined the Labour Party at the age of 16 and worked for the NHS for five years, before taking A levels on an evening course. She studied English at the University of Nottingham in September 1987.

She began a PhD at Newnham College, Cambridge and was an English lecturer at Dearne Valley College in Wath upon Dearne from 1994 until 2003.

She was a councillor on Sheffield City Council for 8 years for the Birley and Broomhill wards.

Parliamentary career

At the 2005 general election Smith was elected Member of Parliament for Sheffield Hillsborough. In 2007 she was appointed Parliamentary Private Secretary and chief aide to Yvette Cooper.

During her tenure Smith worked to reinstate the former Woodhead Line between Hadfield and Penistone. Smith is one of 71 MPs who have signed a petition to re-open the transpennine route and she has on more than one occasion headed debates in Westminster on the need for more railway investment in the north. She is one of 98 MPs who voted to attempt to keep their expense details secret on the basis of Member Constituent confidentiality, and in order to protect the private addresses of MP's being readily available to the public.

In July 2009, she introduced a Ten Minute Rule Bill to the House of Commons which if accepted by government would change the law to give people more legal protection against attacks by dogs. She worked with the RSPCA and the Communication Workers Union on the issue.

The Sheffield Hillsborough seat was abolished at the 2010 election, but Smith was elected as the MP for the newly created Penistone and Stocksbridge constituency.

After a spell as opposition Whip, Smith was promoted to the front bench as the Shadow Deputy Leader of the House in October 2010.

Smith was voted Constituency MP of the year 2011-12, voted for by fellow MPs, honouring her campaign against the axing of an £80 million loan to Sheffield Forgemasters. She followed this up by being awarded the League Against Cruel Sports' Parliamentarian of the Year in 2013 for her efforts against the trial badger cull, in which she worked with campaigner Brian May, as well as recognition for her wider campaign in protecting animals from cruelty. Since February 2016, Smith has also served as a member of the Advisory Board at Polar Research and Policy Initiative.

Brexit Voting Record

On 7 December 2016, Smith voted against a motion tabled by the Labour Party, which set out the timetable for triggering Article 50 of the Lisbon treaty, the mechanism by which the UK will leave the EU. By voting against this motion, Smith disregarded the result of the 23 June EU referendum, whereby 51% of the Sheffield electorate voted to leave the EU.

Expenses scandal

In 2009 Smith was one of the MPs whose expenses were highlighted by The Daily Telegraph during the Parliamentary expenses scandal, as she had submitted expenses claims for four beds for a one bedroom flat in London.

Personal life and family

In 2005 Smith married Steve Wilson, a former Sheffield City Councillor, whom she now employs as a parliamentary aide. She is also a Sheffield Wednesday FC season ticket holder, a Rolling Stones fan, and a keen walker.