Eleanor Smith (politician) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Eleanor Smith
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Official portrait, 2017
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| Member of Parliament for Wolverhampton South West |
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| In office 8 June 2017 – 6 November 2019 |
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| Preceded by | Rob Marris |
| Succeeded by | Stuart Anderson |
| President of Unison | |
| In office 24 June 2011 – 22 June 2012 |
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| General Secretary | Dave Prentis |
| Vice President | Chris Tansley Maureen Le Marinel |
| Preceded by | Angela Lynes |
| Succeeded by | Chris Tansley |
| Vice President of Unison | |
| In office 8 July 2009 – 24 June 2011 Serving with Angela Lynes and Chris Tansley
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| General Secretary | Dave Prentis |
| President | Gerry Gallagher Angela Lynes |
| Preceded by | Gerry Gallagher |
| Succeeded by | Maureen Le Marinel |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 5 July 1957 Birmingham, England |
| Political party | Labour |
Eleanor Patricia Smith (born 5 July 1957) is a British politician and former trade union leader. She was a Member of Parliament (MP) for Wolverhampton South West from 2017 to 2019. Before becoming an MP, she was a leader in the trade union Unison.
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Early Life and Career
Eleanor Smith began her career in healthcare. In 1977, she started training to be a nurse. She then worked as a theatre nurse from 1984 until 2017. She worked at the Birmingham Women's NHS Foundation Trust.
Leadership in Trade Unions
Eleanor Smith was a significant figure in the trade union Unison. A trade union is a group that helps workers get fair pay and good working conditions. She was the first black woman to be elected President of Unison, serving from 2011 to 2012. Before that, she was the Vice President from 2009 to 2011. Later, she became the regional chair for the Trades Union Congress Midlands. This is another important group for workers' rights.
Parliamentary Career
In the 2017 general election, Eleanor Smith was elected as the MP for Wolverhampton South West. She took over from the previous Labour MP, Rob Marris. Her victory was helped by support from activists from Unison and Momentum.
A Historic Election
Eleanor Smith made history with her election. She was the first British African-Caribbean person to represent a constituency in the West Midlands in the House of Commons. The House of Commons is where MPs meet to make laws. This seat had been held by famous politicians like Enoch Powell and Paul Uppal.
Work in Parliament
As an MP, Eleanor Smith was part of important groups. She was a member of the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Select Committee. This committee looks at how the government works. She also co-chaired two All-Party Parliamentary Groups (APPGs). These are groups of MPs from different parties who are interested in specific topics. One APPG focused on obesity, and the other on adult social care.
Smith also asked an independent group to study blood, organ, and stem cell donation among BAME communities. BAME stands for Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic. The study suggested ways the government could encourage more donations from these groups. This led to a meeting between Smith and a government minister.
End of Parliamentary Term
In the 2019 election, Eleanor Smith lost her seat. The Conservative Party candidate, Stuart Anderson, won the election.
How She Voted
Eleanor Smith always voted with her party in Parliament. This is called following the "party whip." Even though her local area voted to leave the European Union, she generally voted for closer ties with Europe. She also consistently voted against cutting money for local councils from the central government.
Black Country Flag Discussion
After she was elected, Eleanor Smith was reported to have talked about the design of the flag of the Black Country. She mentioned that the chains on the flag could remind some people of the slave trade. She suggested that the flag's design could be changed.
She later clarified her comments on social media. She said she did not call the flag racist or ask for it to be banned. In her first speech in the House of Commons, she explained that her comments had been misunderstood. She also shared that she received many unkind messages because of the discussion. The flag had been described as "offensive" by others in the past for similar reasons.
After Parliament
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Eleanor Smith took part in a meeting with church leaders in Birmingham. They discussed how to encourage more people to get vaccinated, especially in communities where vaccine uptake was low. As a Christian, she believed church leaders should clearly tell people it was okay to get vaccinated. She also praised leaders from other faiths who were helping to spread this message.
Smith also said that official efforts to correct false information about vaccines needed to improve. She noted that some black people have historically not been treated fairly in healthcare. This can lead to a lack of trust. She felt that community role models were needed to help build trust.
Personal Life
Eleanor Smith's parents moved to Great Britain from Barbados in 1954. They were part of the Windrush generation, a group of people who came to the UK from Caribbean countries. Eleanor Smith is a Christian.
