John Smith (Welsh politician)
Encyclopedia
John William Patrick Smith (born 7 March 1951) is a Welsh
Labour Party
politician who was the Member of Parliament
(MP) for the Vale of Glamorgan
from 1997
to 2010.
, Smith attended Fairfield County Primary School in Penarth then Penarth County Grammar School (which became the comprehensive Stanwell School
in 1973) on Archer Road. He served for a while in the Royal Air Force
, then worked as a carpenter and joiner for Vale Borough Council from 1971-6. He became a mature student in 1976, studying at the Gwent College of Higher Education
, then went to University College of Wales, Cardiff
where he gained a BSc
in Economics in 1981. He was then a university tutor until 1985. From 1985-9, he was a senior lecturer in Business Studies. He became a campaign manager for Gwent Image Partnership, becoming chief executive from 1992 after he lost his seat.
He was first elected to the seat in a 1989 by-election
, lost it to the Conservatives
in 1992
by a very narrow margin, and regained the seat in the 1997 general election
. He was re-elected in 2001
and 2005
, and served as a member of the Defence Select Committee
. He spent much of his time dealing with concerns with the future of RAF St Athan.
On 22 May 2009, Smith announced that he would stand down at the 2010 general election.
. They have two sons and a daughter.
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
politician who was the Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(MP) for the Vale of Glamorgan
Vale of Glamorgan (UK Parliament constituency)
Vale of Glamorgan is a county constituency in South Wales, represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom...
from 1997
United Kingdom general election, 1997
The United Kingdom general election, 1997 was held on 1 May 1997, more than five years after the previous election on 9 April 1992, to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party ended its 18 years in opposition under the leadership of Tony Blair, and won the general...
to 2010.
Early life
Born in PenarthPenarth
Penarth is a town and seaside resort in the Vale of Glamorgan , Wales, 5.2 miles south west from the city centre of the Welsh capital city of Cardiff and lying on the north shore of the Severn Estuary at the southern end of Cardiff Bay...
, Smith attended Fairfield County Primary School in Penarth then Penarth County Grammar School (which became the comprehensive Stanwell School
Stanwell School
Stanwell School is a co-educational foundation status comprehensive school and Sixth form college located in Penarth, Vale of Glamorgan, Wales for children aged between eleven and eighteen...
in 1973) on Archer Road. He served for a while in the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
, then worked as a carpenter and joiner for Vale Borough Council from 1971-6. He became a mature student in 1976, studying at the Gwent College of Higher Education
University of Wales, Newport
The University of Wales, Newport is a university based in Newport, South Wales. The university has two campuses; Caerleon on the northern outskirts of the city and a £35 million campus on the banks of the River Usk in Newport city centre opened in 2011...
, then went to University College of Wales, Cardiff
Cardiff University
Cardiff University is a leading research university located in the Cathays Park area of Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom. It received its Royal charter in 1883 and is a member of the Russell Group of Universities. The university is consistently recognised as providing high quality research-based...
where he gained a BSc
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
in Economics in 1981. He was then a university tutor until 1985. From 1985-9, he was a senior lecturer in Business Studies. He became a campaign manager for Gwent Image Partnership, becoming chief executive from 1992 after he lost his seat.
Parliamentary career
He contested Vale of Glamorgan in 1987.He was first elected to the seat in a 1989 by-election
Vale of Glamorgan by-election, 1989
A by-election was held for the British House of Commons constituency of Vale of Glamorgan on May 4, 1989 following the death of Conservative MP Sir Raymond Gower.Eleven candidates stood, which remains the most in any Welsh by-election....
, lost it to the Conservatives
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
in 1992
United Kingdom general election, 1992
The United Kingdom general election of 1992 was held on 9 April 1992, and was the fourth consecutive victory for the Conservative Party. This election result was one of the biggest surprises in 20th Century politics, as polling leading up to the day of the election showed Labour under leader Neil...
by a very narrow margin, and regained the seat in the 1997 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1997
The United Kingdom general election, 1997 was held on 1 May 1997, more than five years after the previous election on 9 April 1992, to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party ended its 18 years in opposition under the leadership of Tony Blair, and won the general...
. He was re-elected in 2001
United Kingdom general election, 2001
The United Kingdom general election, 2001 was held on Thursday 7 June 2001 to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. It was dubbed "the quiet landslide" by the media, as the Labour Party was re-elected with another landslide result and only suffered a net loss of 6 seats...
and 2005
United Kingdom general election, 2005
The United Kingdom general election of 2005 was held on Thursday, 5 May 2005 to elect 646 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party under Tony Blair won its third consecutive victory, but with a majority of 66, reduced from 160....
, and served as a member of the Defence Select Committee
Defence Select Committee
The Defence Select Committee is one of the Select Committees of the British House of Commons, having been established in 1979. It oversees the operations of the Ministry of Defence and its associated public bodies, including the armed forces.-Membership:...
. He spent much of his time dealing with concerns with the future of RAF St Athan.
On 22 May 2009, Smith announced that he would stand down at the 2010 general election.
Personal life
He married Kathleen Mulvaney in 1971 in LiverpoolLiverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
. They have two sons and a daughter.
External links
- Guardian Unlimited Politics - Ask Aristotle: John Smith MP
- TheyWorkForYou.com - John Smith MP
- Vale of Glamorgan Labour
- BBC Politics Profile