David Smith (British Labour politician)

David William Smith^[1] is a British Labour Party politician, serving as the Member of Parliament (MP) for North Northumberland since 2024, defeating former cabinet minister Anne-Marie Trevelyan's as the constituency's first Labour MP since its original creation in 1832.^{[2] [3]} He is a member of the Blue Labour group of MPs, vice-chair of the all-party parliamentary groups on homelessness and North Korea, and a member of the Northern Ireland Affairs Select Committee.^{[4] [5]}

On 11 December 2024, he was announced as the UK's Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB), replacing former Conservative MP Fiona Bruce, who held the position under the previous Conservative government.^[6] The envoy is tasked with promoting freedom of religion or belief globally, and raising awareness of cases of persecution and discrimination against people on the grounds of religion or belief.^{[7] [8]}

In July 2024, Smith voted against an amendment to abolish the two-child benefit cap.^[9]

In September, he voted against an amendment condemning the government's proposed changes to the eligibility criteria for Winter Fuel Payments.^[10]

Smith confirmed in November that he would vote against Kim Leadbeater MP's private member's bill to legalise assisted dying.^[11] He argued that "We were given a 40-page bill three weeks ago, and we've got five hours next Friday to debate it. That's simply not enough time." Further, he argued that "The second reason is principle. That's about the fear of coercion. I've spoken to doctors who've said it's almost impossible to see coercion happening, even from loved ones. The worst thing for me is the pressure people might put on themselves, feeling they're a burden. For those reasons, I'll be voting against it."^[12]

In February 2025, Smith called on the Labour government to implement "meaningful tweaks" to their proposed changes to inheritance tax in order to protect British family farms from being financially penalised under the proposed changes.^[13] He also signed and supported a petition calling on British supermarkets to adopt a "fairer deal" for British farmers. He said that "Supermarkets are claiming to support UK farmers, but their actions suggest otherwise. Farmers and growers play a vital role in securing the UK’s food sustainability, but they aren’t receiving a fair deal from the supermarkets, whose punitive and misleading practices have been going on for years without challenge."^[14]

David Smith grew up in the west of Scotland but has lived in Sunderland since 2007.^[15] He studied for degrees at both Glasgow University and University College Dublin.^[3]

Smth is a practising and professing Christian and previously worked at the Bible Society and Tearfund.^{[6] [16]} Prior to the 2024 General Election, he led a housing charity in Gateshead run by the Oasis Charitable Trust.^[6]

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