Nick Smith was first elected as Labour MP for Blaenau Gwent in 2010 being reelected in 2019 with a majority of 8,647.
The constituency of Blaenau Gwent is found within the county of Gwent in South Wales. This is a former mining area that includes the communities of Ebbw Vale, Abertilery, Brynmawr, and Tredegar. This is traditional Labour territory where the Conservative Party records some of its lowest support in the country, dropping as low as 2.4% in the 2005 General Election. This area was once represented at Westminster by the former Labour leader, Michael Foot. After the Second World War, it was represented by Aneurin Bevan, the Labour Health Secretary who is regarded as the founder of the NHS.
Smith has previously served as an Opposition Whip, and a shadow food and farming spokesman.
Nick Smith was born in Cardiff in 1960. He grew up in Tredegar, going to the local comprehensive school. He studied at Coventry University and the University of London.
Prior to being elected to Parliament he had worked as the Secretary General of the European Parliamentary Labour Party, campaign manager with the NSPCC and head of membership development with the Labour Party. His last job before entering Parliament was the Director of Policy and Partnerships at the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists.
Nick Smith was previously a Councillor in the London Borough of Camden between 1998 and 2005, where he became executive member for education.
Smith supported Keir Starmer in the 2020 Labour leadership election. Considered on the right of the Labour Party, he had backed Owen Smith in his 2016 challenge to Jeremy Corbyn and Liz Kendall in the 2015 Labour leadership contest.
At Westminster Smith has campaigned against the high rates of interest that people have to pay to acquire electrical goods under staged payment plans.
Smith is married to Jenny Chapman, formerly the Labour MP for Darlington who served as Chief of Staff to Sir Keir Starmer after he first became Labour leader. Smith is a marathon runner who enjoys film.
Nick Smith is Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Groups on Film and Broader Screen; Park Run; and Snooker. He is Vice Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Groups on Eggs, Pigs and Poultry; Pension Scams; Ticket Abuse; Belize; Kazakhstan; and Taiwan.
Email: nick.smith.mp@parliament.uk
Personal Website: www.nicksmithmp.com
Twitter: twitter.com/nicksmithmp
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/NickSmithforBlaenauGwent
