Parliamentary water group chair loses no-confidence vote by constituency Labour party

Labour MP, Angela Smith’s local party has passed a vote of no confidence in her by 27 votes to 20. Smith, who is co-chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Water Group, was a vocal critic of Labour’s policy to re nationalise the water sector.

In its motion against Smith (pictured) , the Constituency Labour Party (CLP) said “Her articles and comments on fracking and privatised water companies that are contrary to the Labour Party Manifesto commitments demonstrate that she has lost touch with the party and the constituents she was elected to represent."

Labour members in Smith’s South Yorkshire constituency of Penistone and Stocksbridge intend to request that she is expelled from the party.

In a tweeted response to the CLP’s decision Smith said “a cabal of hard left members” were behind the vote.