PENISTONE and Stocksbridge MP Angela Smith has vowed to fight on in the face of a vote of no confidence from her constituency party.
She has blamed ‘a hard-Left cabal’ for the vote which has no immediate effect on her position taken at a meeting of Penistone and Stocksbridge Labour Party on Friday night.
She said she was ‘amazed’ that at a time of national upheaval people were not more focused on other matters.
Ms Smith, a backbench Corbyn-sceptic and former shadow deputy leader of the house, has become the latest Labour MP to have a motion of no confidence passed by her local party. The members voted 27 to 20 to express no confidence in their MP who later accused them of ‘internal political posturing’. Ms Smith, whose constituency covers both Penistone council wards as well as the Dodworth ward, is an outspoken critic of Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership.
The motion, which called for the party whip to be removed, referred to her Corbyn-scepticism. But Penistone and Stocksbridge members also pointed to Ms Smith’s record on other issues such as fracking, which she supports, and her opposition to water renationalisation.
In a statement, the constituency party said: “Angela has by her conduct, her actions, and in articles she has written demonstrated that she no longer represents the views of the Constituency Labour Party. She has been a persistent and visceral critic of Jeremy Corbyn and through her divisive attacks on him she has damaged Labour locally and nationally. Her articles and comments on fracking and privatised water companies that are contrary to the Labour Manifesto commitments, demonstrate that she has lost touch with the party and the constituents.”
In a Tweeted statement Ms Smith said: “I take my responsibilities as an MP very seriously and my first priority is always to do my job, to the best of my ability.
“It is frankly astonishing that a cabal of hard-Left members has absorbed everyone’s precious time and energy on an inaccurate and divisive motion of no confidence.
“Given that the country is facing its biggest crisis since Suez, one would have thought their attention would be better focused on the huge decision facing the country, a decision that will affect the lives of every one of my constituents for years to come. I will continue to prioritise our area and my constituents and will not be distracted by internal political posturing such as this.”
She received support from fellow Labour MPs on Twitter. One, Wakefield MP Mary Creagh said: “Sorry to see my friend and Yorkshire neighbour and fellow eco-champion being treated like this.”
Other moderate Labour MPs rallied round Angela Smith on social media.
Chuka Umunna said: “The hard Right - Boris, Rees-Mogg, Farage and co - are in the midst of an attempt to hijack UK politics and some activists think the priority should be passing votes of no confidence in centre-Left MPs fighting these Brexiters in Parliament. Utterly disgraceful.”
Chris Leslie said: “Appalling. Another centre left MP being told she’s unwelcome, when Labour should be a broad church.”
