Jeff Smith (born 26 January 1963) is a British Labour Party politician serving as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Manchester Withington since 2015, and as Senior Whip in the Opposition Whips Office.[1] A former Manchester City Councillor, he served as an opposition whip in Parliament from 2015 to 2021, as Shadow Minister for Local Government from May to 4 December 2021; as Shadow Minister for Sport, Tourism, Heritage and Music from December 2021 – August 2023, and as Shadow Minister for Clean Power and Consumers from September – December 2023.
Smith was selected as the Labour Party candidate for the Manchester Withington constituency in June 2013,[6] ahead of Angela Rayner and fellow Manchester councillor Andrew Simcock.[7] At the general election in May 2015, Smith was elected, defeating the incumbent MP, Liberal DemocratJohn Leech, with a majority of 14,873.[8]
In July 2015, Jeff Smith voted to prevent the government's Welfare Bill going through on the second reading, and voted against it at the third reading.[11]
Smith co-founded the Labour Campaign for Drug Policy Reform with Thangam Debbonaire,[19] and is Co-Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Drug Policy Reform.[20] On 20 April 2020, Smith appeared in a virtual online 4/20 event hosted by Voltfacehub, where he spoke in favour of the decriminalisation and regulation of the drug cannabis.[21]
Smith was appointed as the Shadow Minister for Local Government in the May 2021 Labour reshuffle, filling the position made vacant following Kate Hollern's resignation.[22] Smith was appointed Shadow Minister for Sport, Tourism, Heritage and Music on 4 December in the Shadow Culture department. In the 2023 British shadow cabinet reshuffle, he was appointed Shadow Minister for Clean Power and Consumers on 5 September 2023.[23]
Smith is a parliamentary supporter of both Labour Friends of Israel[24] and Labour Friends of Palestine and the Middle East.[25]
Smith's Jewish great-grandmother, Rosa Simonson, came to Manchester in the 1880s to escape antisemitic persecution in what is now Poland.[27]
Before being elected, Smith was an event manager and DJ,[28] and has performed regularly at V Festival and club nights Poptastic in Manchester and Star in Leeds.[29]