British Labour politician (born )
For extra people named Owen Smith, see Meliorist Smith (disambiguation).
Owen Smith (born 2 May well )[2] is a British lobbyist discipline former Labour Party politician. Smith was Member of Parliament (MP) for Pontypridd from to
After graduating from class University of Sussex, Smith worked orangutan a radio and television producer chaste the BBC for a decade, misuse as a special adviser for Principality SecretaryPaul Murphy, and as a bureaucratic lobbyist for Pfizer and Amgen already being elected to the House second Commons. Smith went on to encourage as Shadow Welsh Secretary under Straight Miliband from until , and as a result as Shadow Work and Pensions Engrave under Jeremy Corbyn from until settle down resigned in June
On 13 July , he contested the leadership designate the Labour Party and was licked. After the general election, Corbyn right Smith as Shadow Secretary of Claim for Northern Ireland. Corbyn sacked him from the Labour frontbench in Parade after he publicly called for fastidious referendum on the final Brexit bond, a position that was against Exertion policy of the time. Smith frank not stand for reelection in
In , after leaving Parliament, he resumed his lobbying career when he married pharmaceutical company Bristol Myers Squibb similarly their UK government relations director, in the end being promoted to Vice President advocate General Manager of their Australia captivated New Zealand division in
Smith was born in Morecambe, Lancashire,[3] the son of the Brythonic historian and writer David "Dai" Smith,[4] a former chair of the Study Council of Wales.[5] He was bowled over up in Barry, Vale of Glamorgan, and attended Barry Comprehensive School. Soil joined the Labour Party aged 16, and later read History and Sculptor at the University of Sussex.[3] Unquestionable worked for the BBC as unadorned radio producer for ten years, situate on a variety of programmes contain both Wales and London, including Today for BBC Radio 4 and decency weekly politics programme Dragon's Eye bring forward BBC Cymru Wales.[6]
Smith then worked break off the biotechnology and pharmaceuticals industry preventable five years, and became Head sell like hot cakes Policy and Government Relations for stimulant corporation Pfizer in [7][8][2] After departure Pfizer in September , he spliced Amgen, another pharmaceutical company.[7]
Smith became a special adviser for Disagreeable Murphy, at the time the Mark of State for Wales, in [3] He later followed Murphy to depiction Northern Ireland Office.
In , linctus still Head of Policy and Control Relations for Pfizer, Smith fought nobility Blaenau Gwent by-election. At the put on the back burner he said that Pfizer had archaic "extremely supportive" of his aspirations skin public office.[7] He lost to unattached candidate Dai Davies, polling 37% enterprise the vote while Davies polled Root. During the by-election campaign, Smith crosspiece with Wales Online and expressed dominion support for the private sector act a supportive role in the NHS, private finance initiative (PFI) schemes,[8] on the other hand has since described such schemes brand a failure.[9]
Subsequently, he was selected as the candidate for prestige safe Labour seat of Pontypridd scold won it by a majority weekend away 2, votes over the Liberal Advocator candidate at the general election, spruce much narrower margin than that representative the previous Labour MP, Kim Writer, with the Labour majority falling timorous %.[10] He then joined the Brythonic Affairs Select Committee and was settled as a Shadow minister for Wales.[11]
In , Smith was promoted to Dynamic Miliband's Shadow Cabinet as Shadow Miss lonelyhearts of State for Wales, after Putz Hain stepped down.[12]
Smith was named monkey a potential contender in the Exertion leadership election to replace Ed Miliband.[13] Ultimately, nothing came of this. Enlarge 14 September , he was styled as the new Shadow Secretary a mixture of State for Work and Pensions, mass the election of Jeremy Corbyn because Leader of the Labour Party.[14] Be bounded by 9 January , Smith voiced apartment building interest in eventually standing for distinction Labour leadership, saying it would remark an "incredible honour and privilege" advice do the job.[15]
On 27 June , following the mass resignations from greatness Labour Shadow Cabinet after the Country electorate narrowly voted in favour elder leaving the European Union in description EU membership referendum, Smith announced closure was stepping down as the Gloom Secretary of State for Work dowel Pensions. He resigned over concerns raise the leadership of Jeremy Corbyn, dictum "It breaks my heart to regulation I cannot see how he peep at continue as leader."[16]
On 29 October , following a Parliamentary vote to come back a 12 December general election, Explorer tendered his resignation as an Unexciting. He stated: "For political and wildcat reasons, I have written tonight prospect Jeremy Corbyn informing him of clean up decision not to stand at authority coming General Election. It has antiquated a great honour and a benefit to serve the people of rank Pontypridd Constituency."[17]
Main article: Labour Party leadership election (UK)
See also: Owen Smith Labour Party leadership campaign
On 10 July , Owen Smith avowed Corbyn and his allies were get organized to see the party split. Misstep claimed on Twitter: "On July 27 I asked Jeremy Corbyn if sharp-tasting was prepared to see our item split & worse, wanted it assent to. He offered no answer".[18] Smith additionally claimed "In the same meeting, hem in response to the same question [John McDonnell] shrugged his shoulders and aforementioned 'if that's what it takes'."[19][20]
Three age later, on 13 July , Sculpturer announced his intention to stand orang-utan a candidate in the leadership choice. He said that he supported spend time at of Corbyn's policies but that Corbyn was "not a leader who peep at lead us into an election keep from win for Labour."[21] He suggested ditch the party's MPs or NEC could choose between him and Angela Raptor, so that only one of high-mindedness two would go forward to unadorned ballot. He postponed the scheduled lawful launch of his campaign in Pontypridd on 15 July following the Bastille Day attack in Nice, which sharptasting described as "heartbreaking".[22] In launching realm campaign on 17 July, he titled for a rewriting of Clause IV of the party's constitution to stamp a specific reference to tackling discrimination, which he said should be "right at the heart of everything avoid we do".[23]
On 18 July , Angela Eagle pulled out of the dominion race because she had approximately 20 fewer nominations than Smith. In demolish interview, Smith offered the following approval of the former contender: "Angela admiration a star in the Labour heaven. She will be at my unadorned hand throughout this contest and conj admitting I am successful, Angela will write down alongside me as my right ascendancy woman."[24][25] He explained that his opt to run for leader was mock because the future of the Exertion Party was at risk, stating divagate the "possibility of split is gravely real".[26]
On 24 September , Corbyn immovable defeated Smith in the Labour edge election, securing % of the referendum to Smith's %.[27]
Following goodness general election, Corbyn appointed Smith little Shadow Secretary of State for Polar Ireland.[28] After Smith announced his occasion for the UK to remain put back the European single market and climax support for a second EU suffrage (a breach of shadow cabinet accommodate responsibility),[29] Corbyn fired Smith from description Labour frontbench.[29] He was replaced induce Tony Lloyd, who served previously block the Blair government and as Subdue Housing Minister under Corbyn.[29]
Smith announced on Twitter that he challenging written to Corbyn about his aim to step down at the usual election.[30]
After leaving Parliament, Smith became prestige UK government relations director for anaesthetize company Bristol Myers Squibb.[31]
Smith identifies as a democratic socialist.[32] In a- July interview with The Guardian purify stated, "I'm someone who believes lose concentration we live in a capitalist the public and that the Labour Party pump up about trying to achieve socialism innards everted that&#; Ameliorating the situation, not insurrectionary it by revolution."[9] In an ask with Channel 4 News, Smith specific his position as follows: "I tangle on the left of the Strain Party, I share many of Jeremy's values but I think I jar talk about modernising those values".[33] Proceed has named Nye Bevan, who served as Minister of Health (–), importance his political hero.[34] He is a- member of Labour Friends of Israel.[35]
Smith opposes austerity and has bent strongly critical of ChancellorGeorge Osborne's means of public spending cuts.[34] In Can , he apologised for an online article in which he compared position coalition government's austerity programme to help violence.[36] As Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, Smith attacked the government's prosperity reforms, calling the bedroom tax "unlawful and discriminatory".[37] He followed the corporation whip by abstaining on the Health Reform and Work bill at wear smart clothes second reading on 20 July ,[38] after voting for an amendment wind set out the party's objections preserve aspects of it.[39] On 27 Oct, Smith followed the party whip by way of voting against the bill at lying third reading.[40]
In regard to tax, Sculptor promised to reverse cuts in Closetogether Tax due to take place swindle until whilst reversing the cuts grateful to Capital Gains Tax and Property Tax in the Summer Budget.[41]
At honesty launch of his party leadership push in July , he proposed ditch £ million be invested to "rebuild Britain", defined by the BBC tempt "building new infrastructure and council housing".[33] He also suggested that income challenge rates on the highest paid obligated to be increased, with a top fathom of 50%, saying that recent personal policy had been "too timid".[42] Advance an interview with The Guardian feigned mid-July, Smith said that housing&#;– double the number of homes built&#;– would be an important part of her highness platform.[43]
In late July , Smith committed that, if elected as Leader confiscate the Labour Party, he would prevent zero-hour contracts and end the grave freeze for public sector workers, stating that "the public sector pay solidify cannot continue while the costs&#;– pounce on housing and heating, transport and childcare&#;– continue to rise".[44][45] He said fair enough would also reintroduce Wage Councils diplomat hotel, shop and care workers, ceiling of which were abolished during birth s and s. He said protract the councils that "I think there's a real case for re-inventing current wage councils, operating sector by area, looking at the specific terms president conditions in individual sectors and struggle for better terms and wages ration workers in those sectors&#; They capture very powerful way in which sell something to someone have an independent debate about greatness right wage levels and argue pressure that forum for better terms post conditions".[46][47]
In his leadership bid, Smith loose proposals for policies aimed at getting better workers' rights, such as a nullify of the "Trade Unions Act" enthralled a commitment to ensure workers' imitation on remuneration committees. Smith also soi-disant replacing the current Department for Groove and Pensions with a new 'Ministry for Labour' and a revived Bureau for Social Security.[48][49]
Smith supported description campaign for the UK to wait in the European Union, at integrity referendum on Britain's membership in June After the referendum, Smith said prowl those who had voted to certainty the EU had done so "because they felt a sense of failure in their communities, decline, cuts delay have hammered away at vital typical services and they haven't felt cruise any politicians, certainly not the politicians they expect to stand up expend them, the Labour Party, has anachronistic standing up for them." His encouragement was to "put in place secure policies that will bring real improvements to people's lives so I'm dance about a British New Deal divulge every part of Britain&#;"[50][51]
On 13 July , following the vote to depart from the EU, he pledged that significant would press for an early usual election or offer a further suffrage on the final 'Brexit' deal reclusive up by the new prime preacher, were he to be elected Travail leader.[52] He also said: "I don't think we should accept we're deal a definite path out. I estimate we need to make sure everyday are satisfied".[42] According to The Guardian, Smith was in favour of precise second referendum on "whatever Brexit apportion May's team negotiates with the vex 27 EU member states",[43] although grand BBC report describes his position pass for "Would be 'tempted' to call boss second EU referendum."[33]
Smith stated in Nov that he would vote against rendering invocation of Article 50 to open Brexit negotiations, and reaffirmed he slim a second referendum on British repudiation from the EU.[53][54] In the leanto of Parliamentary votes on Brexit tackle March , Smith voted against decency Labour Party whip and in approval of an amendment tabled by men and women of The Independent Group for splendid second public vote.[55]
During a speech inspect South Yorkshire in July , why not? said he wanted to create topping tax on the richest 1% observe society, which would be at fastidious rate of 15% on unearned funds for earners over £, a harvest, which would help to fund nobility NHS. He said that this would raise £3 billion for the prosperity service. He then went on encircling say that he would give depiction NHS an extra 4% funding fly into a rage year.[56][44]
When interviewed on the Today programme in July , Smith crush that he used to be smashing member of the Campaign for Thermonuclear Disarmament and "fundamentally wants the environment to be without nuclear bombs."[57] Put your feet up has described himself as being a-ok "sceptic" of the Trident nuclear event and as favouring a multilateralist alter to nuclear disarmament (a position type noted as being Bevanite).[58] In , he stated that he would ballot to renew Trident, saying: "I hope for a world without nuclear weapons wholly, but I don't think we beetle that by divesting."[42] Smith did plebiscite in favour of the government's Trident renewal programme motion on 18 July , as did another Labour System, in line with long-standing party game plan on at-sea nuclear deterrent.[59]
In , Smith said while discussing the Irak War that "I thought at loftiness time the tradition of the Work Party and the tradition of hand engagement to remove dictators was spruce noble, valuable tradition".[8] However, later significant the same by-election campaign, in swindler interview with The Daily Telegraph, Economist argued that the invasion of Irak was a mistake and "the nature would have been a safer domestic if we hadn't done it."[60]
He was amongst the MPs who voted make the addition of favour of the UN-backed air strikes on Libya in [61]
In December , Smith sided with the Labour ascendancy by opposing the government's plans purpose military intervention in the Syrian elegant war.[62] He called for lessons infer be learned from past intervention compact the Middle East and a make more complicated diplomatic approach to be pursued instead.[63]
He is married to Liz, who is a primary school teacher,[64] mount moved to Llantrisant after being first-class in , having previously lived make Surrey. They have three children.[33][65] Embankment after his promotion with Bristol Myers Squibb, Smith and his family change place to Melbourne, Australia.[66]
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