Chloe Smith

This article is about the British politician. For the singer with the American group Rising Appalachia, see Chloe Smith (musician). For the professional wrestler, see Dani Luna.

Chloe Rebecca Smith (born 17 May 1982) is a British politician who has served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Norwich North since 2009. A member of the Conservative Party, she previously served as Secretary of State for Work and Pensions from September to October 2022^[1] and Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology from April 2023 to July 2023.^[c][2]

The Right Honourable Chloe Smith MP
Official portrait, 2020
Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology
In office 28 April 2023 – 20 July 2023^[a]
Prime Minister	Rishi Sunak
Preceded by	Michelle Donelan
Succeeded by	Michelle Donelan
Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
In office 6 September 2022 – 25 October 2022
Prime Minister	Liz Truss
Preceded by	Thérèse Coffey
Succeeded by	Mel Stride
Junior ministerial offices Minister of State for Disabled People, Work and Health In office 16 September 2021 – 6 September 2022 Prime Minister Boris Johnson Preceded by Justin Tomlinson Succeeded by Claire Coutinho Minister of State for the Constitution and Devolution^[b] In office 9 January 2018 – 16 September 2021 Prime Minister Theresa May Boris Johnson Preceded by Chris Skidmore Succeeded by Nigel Adams In office 4 September 2012 – 6 October 2013 Prime Minister David Cameron Preceded by Mark Harper Succeeded by Greg Clark Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Northern Ireland In office 14 June 2017 – 9 January 2018 Prime Minister Theresa May Preceded by Kris Hopkins Succeeded by Shailesh Vara Economic Secretary to the Treasury In office 14 October 2011 – 4 September 2012 Prime Minister David Cameron Preceded by Justine Greening Succeeded by Sajid Javid
Member of Parliament for Norwich North
Incumbent
Assumed office 23 July 2009
Preceded by	Ian Gibson
Majority	4,738 (10.2%)
Personal details
Born	Chloe Rebecca Smith (1982-05-17) 17 May 1982 (age 41) Ashford, Kent, England
Political party	Conservative
Spouse	Sandy McFadzean ​ (m. 2013)​
Children	2
Alma mater	University of York
Website	www.chloesmith.org.uk

Smith was elected in a 2009 by-election following the resignation of Labour MP Ian Gibson after the MPs' expenses scandal. Smith held a number of junior ministerial roles under David Cameron and Theresa May, serving two terms as Parliamentary Secretary for the Constitution. She continued to serve in the latter role after Boris Johnson's victory in the 2019 Conservative Party leadership election. In the February 2020 reshuffle, she was promoted to Minister of State during the second Johnson ministry. In the 2021 reshuffle, she was appointed by Johnson as Minister of State at the Department for Work and Pensions. After Johnson resigned in 2022, Smith supported Liz Truss’s bid to become Conservative leader. Following Truss's appointment as Prime Minister, she appointed Smith as Secretary of State for Work and Pensions. She was later temporarily Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology during the time Michelle Donelan MP was Minister on Leave (Secretary of State), a position given to Secretaries and Ministers of State while on Maternity Leave.^[3]

Early life

Smith was born in Ashford, Kent, in 1982.^[4][5] Her family moved to Stoke Ferry, Norfolk, when she was three years old, and she attended comprehensive schools in Swaffham and Methwold.^[6][7] After a gap year working for former Conservative Education Secretary Gillian Shephard,^[6] she read English Literature at the University of York.^[7] She undertook summer work for Bernard Jenkin.^[6]

After graduating from the University of York, she joined Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu as a management consultant. She advised private businesses, government departments and public bodies.^[6]

In 2007, Smith was chosen to be the Conservative Party candidate for the constituency of Norwich North at the general election.^[7] She then took leave from her job, working for Conservative Central Office on secondment, to "draw up detailed plans to put our policies into practice".^[6]

Parliamentary career

Following resignation of Labour MP Ian Gibson after the MPs' expenses scandal, Smith became the Conservatives' by-election candidate and subsequently gained the seat, becoming youngest member of the House of Commons.^[8][9] She took her seat in the House of Commons when the parliamentary break ended in October.^[10]

On 14 October 2011, she was appointed Economic Secretary to the Treasury in a ministerial reshuffle, becoming the youngest minister serving in government at that point.^[11] According to The Guardian newspaper Smith was appointed to the role because David Cameron wrongly understood her to be a trained accountant.^[12]

On 26 June 2012, she appeared on the BBC Two current affairs programme Newsnight and was interviewed about Chancellor George Osborne's decision that day to delay plans to increase fuel duty.^[13] Jeremy Paxman questioned the apparent change in her views on fuel duty.^[14] The interview attracted much comment, being described as a "mauling" and a "humiliation" of Smith.^[15][12] Politicians, including John Prescott and Nadine Dorries, questioned Osborne's judgement for sending a junior minister onto the programme in his place.^[13][16]

In September 2012, Smith was appointed Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Cabinet Office.

In August 2013, she was criticised for blocking identification of civil servants and public sector bodies responsible for £77m of flights booked through the Government Procurement Service.^[17] In October 2013, she resigned from the Cabinet Office to "concentrate on the most important part of my job: being the Member of Parliament for Norwich North".^[18]

In May 2014, she was awarded the Grassroot Diplomat Initiative Award under the Business Driver category for designing and conceiving the Norwich for Jobs campaign, which brought over 400 jobs and apprenticeships for young people in her constituency.^[19]

During the campaign for the 2015 general election, Smith was mocked by political opponents for quoting a constituent's letter in her election literature.^[20] The letter said she seemed "to act more like a Socialist than a Conservative".^[21] Smith responded: "Clearly I am not a socialist. I am a proud Conservative. What the letter writer was saying was my work can appeal across party lines".^[20]

She retained her Norwich North seat in the snap 2017 general election, taking 21,900 votes, ahead of Labour's Chris Jones by 507 votes.^[22] Following the election, she was appointed as Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Northern Ireland working under James Brokenshire.^[23]

 

Smith in 2018

In January 2018, during the 2018 British cabinet reshuffle by Theresa May, Smith was appointed Parliamentary Secretary for the Constitution, a role she had previously held under David Cameron. In February 2020, Smith was promoted to Minister of State by Boris Johnson.^[24]

In August 2019, Smith was the victim of an anthrax scare in which she was sent a package of white powder.^[25]

In September 2021, during the cabinet reshuffle, Smith became Minister of State for Disabled People, Work and Health at the Department for Work and Pensions.^[24]

On 6 September 2022, the then-Prime Minister Liz Truss appointed Smith as Secretary of State for Work and Pensions. She was sworn in as a member of the Privy Council on 13 September 2022 at Buckingham Palace following her appointment.^[26] entitling her to the honorific prefix "The Right Honourable" for Life.

On 25 October 2022, following the appointment of Rishi Sunak as Prime Minister, Smith returned to the backbenches.

On 22 November 2022 Smith announced that she would not stand for election to Parliament at the next general election.^[27]

From 28 April 2023 to 19 July 2023, Smith was the temporary Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology during Michelle Donelan's maternity leave in accordance with the Ministerial and other Maternity Allowances Act 2021.

Political positions

Smith's political stances have included support for lower taxation, increasing VAT,^[28] and opposition to the Lisbon Treaty.^[29] She also supported the legalisation of same-sex marriage.^[30] She singles out Benjamin Disraeli as a political leader she admires.^[29]

Smith was opposed to Brexit before the 2016 referendum.^[31] She endorsed Boris Johnson during the 2019 Conservative Party leadership election.^[32]

Personal life

Smith is an active volunteer and fundraiser for several charities including Cancer Research UK and Sport Relief.^[7] She is an atheist.^[33][34]

In 2013, Smith married financial consultant Sandy McFadzean.^[35] They had their first child, a son, in 2016.^[36] In 2019, their second child, a daughter, was born.^[37]

In November 2020, Smith announced that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer.^[38] In June 2021, she announced that after chemotherapy and surgery, she was cancer-free.^[39]

Notes

1. In accordance with the Ministerial and other Maternity Allowances Act 2021 Smith temporarily served in the position during the maternity leave of Donelan
2. Parliamentary Secretary (2012–13; 2018–20)
3. In accordance with the Ministerial and other Maternity Allowances Act 2021 Smith temporarily served in the position during the maternity leave of Michelle Donelan

References

1. "Chloe Smith Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved 25 October 2022.
2. "Ministerial Appointments: April 2023". GOV.UK. Retrieved 21 April 2023.
3. "The Rt Hon Michelle Donelan MP". GOV.UK. Retrieved 18 September 2023.
4. "The youngest members of the potential next intake of Conservative MPs". ConservativeHome. from the original on 10 July 2009. Retrieved 24 July 2009.
5. McSmith, Andy (23 July 2009). "Today Norwich, tomorrow the world for rising star of Tories". The Independent. London. from the original on 26 July 2009. Retrieved 24 July 2009.
6. "Profile: Chloe Smith". BBC News. 24 July 2009. Retrieved 24 July 2009.
7. . chloesmith.org.uk. Archived from the original on 20 December 2009. Retrieved 31 March 2015.
8. "Labour braced for key poll defeat". BBC News. 24 July 2009. from the original on 2 September 2017. Retrieved 24 July 2009.
9. "Tories beat Labour in by-election". BBC News. 24 July 2009. from the original on 2 September 2017. Retrieved 24 July 2009.
10. Stephenson, Alex (24 July 2009). "Profile:Chloe Smith". politics.co.uk. from the original on 29 July 2009. Retrieved 24 July 2009.
11. Falloon, Matt (14 October 2011). "Chloe Smith appointed new economic secretary". Reuters. from the original on 20 December 2011. Retrieved 14 October 2011.
12. Watt, Nicholas (27 June 2012). "Chloe Smith's Newsnight humiliation is No 10's fault, say senior Tories". The Guardian. London. from the original on 7 April 2015. Retrieved 31 March 2015.
13. Quinn, Ben (27 June 2012). "George Osborne branded a coward after Tory minister's Newsnight disaster". The Guardian. London. from the original on 3 April 2015. Retrieved 29 June 2012.
14. "Treasury Minister grilled over delay of 3p fuel duty rise". BBC News. 27 June 2012. from the original on 28 June 2012. Retrieved 27 June 2012.
15. Freedland, Jonathan (27 June 2012). "How to play Paxman: what Chloe Smith should have said". The Guardian. London. from the original on 29 July 2017.
16. "David Cameron denies George Osborne 'hid' after fuel U-turn". BBC News. 27 June 2012. from the original on 30 June 2012. Retrieved 29 June 2012.
17. Holehouse, Matthew (5 August 2013). "Minister's veto keeps public sector jet set's £77m flight bill a mystery". The Daily Telegraph. London. from the original on 18 October 2013. Retrieved 7 October 2013.
18. "Chloe Smith stands down as minister to restate what is most important to her: her work for Norwich North". chloesmithmp.com. 9 October 2013. from the original on 16 February 2014. Retrieved 31 March 2015.
19. . Grassroot Diplomat. 15 March 2015. Archived from the original on 20 May 2015. Retrieved 27 April 2015.
20. Dickson, Annabelle (30 March 2015). ""If this is socialism I'll eat my hat" – Conservative candidate's campaign leaflet prompts mock-up". Eastern Daily Press. Norwich. from the original on 1 April 2015. Retrieved 31 March 2015.
21. McSmith, Andy (30 March 2015). "Andy McSmith's Diary: Frozen Cameron reveals all to Heat – S-Word of the Day". The Independent. London. from the original on 8 July 2015. Retrieved 31 March 2015.
22. "Norwich North parliamentary constituency – Election 2017". BBC News. from the original on 20 May 2017. Retrieved 9 June 2017.
23. Anderson, Stuart (14 June 2012). "Norwich North MP Chloe Smith has a new role in government as parliamentary under-secretary of state for Northern Ireland". Eastern Daily Press. Norwich. from the original on 30 July 2017. Retrieved 29 July 2017.
24. "Ministerial appointments: September 2021". 16 September 2021.
25. Steven Morris and agency. "Man admits sending fake anthrax to female politicians". The Guardian. Retrieved 16 October 2019.
26. Tilbrook, Richard (13 September 2022). "ORDERS APPROVED AND BUSINESS TRANSACTED AT THE PRIVY COUNCIL HELD BY THE KING AT BUCKINGAM PALACE ON 13TH SEPTEMBER 2022" (PDF). The Privy Council Office. Retrieved 28 November 2022.
27. "Norwich North MP Chloe Smith to stand down at next election". BBC. 22 November 2022. Retrieved 22 November 2022.
28. "Chloe Smith – Assistant Whip". Theyworkforyou.com. from the original on 29 July 2017. Retrieved 29 July 2017.
29. Fisher, Chris. . Eastern Daily Press. Norwich. Archived from the original on 1 October 2009. Retrieved 31 March 2015.
30. Green, Jessica (3 August 2011). "Tory MP Chloe Smith supports gay marriage". Pink News. from the original on 21 October 2011.
31. Goodenough, Tom (16 February 2016). "Which Tory MPs back Brexit, who doesn't and who is still on the fence?". The Spectator. from the original on 22 October 2016. Retrieved 11 October 2016.
32. Cope, Lauren (9 June 2019). "Norwich MP backs Boris Johnson in Conservative leadership race". Eastern Daily Press. Retrieved 21 June 2019.
33. Chapman, Tom (15 July 2009). . The Norwich And Norfolk Christian Community Website. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 27 October 2010.
34. Waugh, Paul (13 October 2009). . London Evening Standard. London. Archived from the original on 16 October 2009. Retrieved 27 October 2010.
35. Grimmer, Dan (10 November 2013). . Eastern Daily Press. Norwich. Archived from the original on 29 July 2017. Retrieved 29 July 2017.
36. "Chloe Smith MP welcomes new arrival". .chloesmith.org.uk. 29 September 2016. from the original on 29 July 2017. Retrieved 29 July 2017.
37. Grimmer, Dan (29 April 2019). "Norwich MP Chloe Smith announces birth of daughter". Eastern Daily Press. Retrieved 1 May 2019.
38. "Norwich North Tory MP Chloe Smith diagnosed with breast cancer". BBC News. 2 November 2020.
39. "MP announces she is clear of breast cancer". BBC News. 29 June 2021. Retrieved 10 November 2021.

External links

• Official website
• Conservative Party
• Profile at Parliament of the United Kingdom
• Contributions in Parliament at Hansard
• Voting record at Public Whip
• Record in Parliament at TheyWorkForYou
• Flickr page
• Gould, Mark (24 July 2009). "Norwich North byelection: who is Chloe Smith?". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 24 July 2009.

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Ian Gibson	Member of Parliament for Norwich North 2009–present	Incumbent
Preceded by Jo Swinson	Baby of the House 2009–2010	Succeeded by Pamela Nash
Political offices
Preceded by Justine Greening	Economic Secretary to the Treasury 2011–2012	Succeeded by Sajid Javid
Preceded by Kris Hopkins	Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 2017–2018	Succeeded by Shailesh Vara
Preceded by Mark Harper	Parliamentary Secretary for the Cabinet Office 2012–2013	Succeeded by Greg Clark
Preceded by Chris Skidmore	Parliamentary Secretary for the Cabinet Office 2018–2020	Position abolished
Position established	Minister of State for the Constitution and Devolution 2020–2021	Succeeded by Nigel Adams as Minister of State without Portfolio
Preceded by Justin Tomlinson	Minister of State for Disabled People, Work and Health 2021–2022	Succeeded by Claire Coutinho
Preceded by Thérèse Coffey	Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 2022	Succeeded by Mel Stride