Profile

Labour Peer

Entered the House of Lords on 8 July 2010

Previously MP for Basildon until 12 April 2010 — General election (stood again)

Entered the House of Commons on 1 May 1997 — General election

Party was Labour/Co-operative until 11 Apr 2005

Also represented Basildon

• Personal website
• Wikipedia page
• BBC News profile

Social Media

• @LadyBasildon
• UK Parliament Profile

Expenses

• Expenses from 2004 to 2009

Currently held offices

• Member, Restoration and Renewal Client Board Committee (since 22 Jul 2024)
• Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal (since 5 Jul 2024)
• Member, House of Lords Commission (since 1 Sep 2016)
• Member, Procedure and Privileges Committee (since 8 Jun 2015)
• Member, Committee of Selection (Lords) (since 28 May 2015)

Other offices held in the past

• Shadow Spokesperson (Northern Ireland) (27 Oct 2023 to 5 Jul 2024)
• Shadow Spokesperson (Cabinet Office) (22 Feb 2023 to 26 Oct 2023)
• Shadow Spokesperson (Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and International Development) (21 Feb 2023 to 26 Oct 2023)
• Shadow Spokesperson (Devolved Issues) (21 Feb 2023 to 5 Jul 2024)
• Member, Restoration and Renewal Client Board Committee (17 Oct 2022 to 30 May 2024)
• Shadow Spokesperson (Cabinet Office, Constitutional and Devolved issues) (15 Apr 2020 to 20 Feb 2023)
• Shadow Spokesperson (Cabinet Office) ( 4 Jun 2018 to 5 Apr 2020)
• Shadow Spokesperson (Northern Ireland) (24 Jan 2018 to 20 Feb 2023)
• Member, Palace of Westminster (Joint Committee) (20 Jul 2015 to 27 Apr 2017)
• Member, House Committee (Lords) ( 8 Jun 2015 to 14 Dec 2015)
• Member, Liaison Committee (Lords) ( 8 Jun 2015 to 14 Dec 2015)
• Member, Committee for Privileges and Conduct (Lords) ( 8 Jun 2015 to 9 May 2019)
• Shadow Leader of the House of Lords (27 May 2015 to 5 Jul 2024)
• Opposition Deputy Chief Whip (Lords) ( 6 Sep 2012 to 27 May 2015)
• Shadow Spokesperson (Home Affairs) ( 6 Sep 2012 to 27 May 2015)
• Shadow Spokesperson (Northern Ireland) (17 Oct 2011 to 6 Sep 2012)
• Shadow Spokesperson (Energy and Climate Change) ( 8 Oct 2010 to 18 Mar 2013)
• Minister of State (Third Sector), Cabinet Office (10 Jun 2009 to 11 May 2010)
• Minister of State (Cabinet Office) (Third Sector) ( 9 Jun 2009 to 6 May 2010)
• PPS (Rt Hon Gordon Brown, Prime Minister), Prime Minister's Office (30 Dec 2008 to 16 Jan 2009)
• PPS (Rt Hon Gordon Brown, Prime Minister), Prime Minister's Office (13 Nov 2008 to 10 Dec 2008)
• PPS (Rt Hon Gordon Brown, Prime Minister), Prime Minister's Office (29 Sep 2008 to 16 Oct 2008)
• PPS (Rt Hon Gordon Brown, Prime Minister), Prime Minister's Office (25 Oct 2007 to 4 Aug 2008)
• PPS (Rt Hon Gordon Brown, Prime Minister), Prime Minister's Office (23 Jul 2007 to 11 Oct 2007)
• PPS (Rt Hon Gordon Brown, Prime Minister), Prime Minister's Office (28 Jun 2007 to 16 Jul 2007)
• Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Department for Communities and Local Government ( 8 May 2006 to 28 Jun 2007)
• The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government ( 5 May 2006 to 28 Jun 2007)
• Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Northern Ireland Office (14 Oct 2002 to 8 May 2006)
• Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Northern Ireland Office) (14 Oct 2002 to 5 May 2006)
• Assistant Whip (12 Jun 2001 to 14 Oct 2002)
• Assistant Whip (HM Treasury) (12 Jun 2001 to 13 Jun 2002)

Public bill committees (Sittings attended)

• Crown Employment (Nationality) Bill Committee (1 out of 1)
• Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Bill Committee (17 out of 18)
• Police (Northern Ireland) Bill Committee (8 out of 9)
• Adoption and Children Bill Committee (14 out of 23)
• State Pension Credit Bill Committee (8 out of 8)
• Finance Bill Committee (13 out of 16)
• Hunting Bill Committee (15 out of 16)

Recent appearances

• Written Answers — Leader of the House of Lords: Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Written Questions 15 May 2025

  The question was answered by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 6 May 2025. I apologise for the delay.

• Gaza Humanitarian Foundation - Question 13 May 2025

  My Lords, it is clear that there is a desperate urgency to get humanitarian aid into Gaza. As the UN has said, it is hard to see how the proposal to distribute aid through private companies would meet the scale of the need, protect civilians, protect aid workers and be consistent with humanitarian principles. The UN and humanitarian NGOs have worked with courage and determination to deliver...

• Gaza Humanitarian Foundation - Question 13 May 2025

  My Lords, the blocking of aid into Gaza by Israel has caused enormous suffering. We are aware of the allegations she refers to that Hamas uses humanitarian aid for its own gain, and we have encouraged Israel to share the evidence with the UN and with NGOs. We have not seen any evidence that there is systematic diversion to Hamas and, given the ongoing hostilities, we are unable to verify...

More of Baroness Smith of Basildon’s recent appearances

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