Rebecca Smith is the Conservative MP for South West Devon, having first been elected to parliament at the 2024 general election.

In the 2024 general election, Smith won 17,916 votes, representing 34.3% of the vote. The Labour candidate, Sarah Allen, received 15,804 votes (30.3%), while the Reform UK candidate, Stephen Horner, secured 9,361 votes (17.9%). Smith was duly elected with a majority of 2,112.

The South West Devon constituency is located in the South West of England. It has been held by the Conservative Party since its creation in 1997.

Smith is one of 26 new Conservative MPs that entered parliament in 2024.

Political Career

Smith currently serves as shadow parliamentary under secretary of state for education and a senior opposition whip. She was appointed to these roles as part of the August/September 2026 shadow ministerial reshuffle, Kemi Badenoch’s second as Conservative lead

Smith is also a member of the House of Commons transport select committee (since October 2024) – the committee responsible for the scrutiny of the Department for Transport and its associated public bodies. Its remit covers all aspects of transport policy in England, as well as UK-wide issues such as aviation and maritime policy.

In addition, Smith is a member of the joint ecclesiastical committee (since November 2024). The committee. The committee examines draft measures presented to it by the Legislative Committee of the General Synod of the Church of England.

Smith served as an opposition assistant whip from November 2024 to September 2026.

Smith has been listed as a member of the all-party parliamentary groups (APPGs) for Christinaty in the Holy Land (chair), the Celtic Sea, Christians in Parliament, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and commemoration (chair), and the environment.

Smith delivered her maiden speech on 3 September 2024 during a debate on the Passenger Railway Services (Public Ownership) Bill.

In it, she said: “When I was growing up, my parents, who are in the gallery today, offered up their home as foster parents. That experience has left me with a deep interest in the care system and how we enable care-experienced young people to have the future they deserve.

“While there are those in this place with far more experience in the field than me, my interest spans over two decades, and I am determined to be a voice for those young people.”

She added: “Having started my elected career in local government, I bring with me experience of a range of issues including working to tackle violence against women and girls. Enabling women and girls to feel safe and be safe in their communities, and in my community in South West Devon, is a long-term challenge.

“Yet, having chaired the Plymouth violence against women and girls commission and seen the cross-party determination to deliver on it in this place, I believe that we will see the societal change that we fight for.”

Before entering parliament, Smith was elected as a Conservative councillor on Plymouth City Council in May 2018. She stood down as a councillor in May 2026.

Smith previously stood for parliament in the Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport constituency at the 2019 general election.

Political Views

Factional identity and party tradition

Conservative Environment Network: Smith is listed as a member of the Conservative Environment Network (CEN) advisory council. CEN is an independent forum for conservatives that supports conservation and decarbonisation. It calls for the environment to be given a higher profile at the heart of policy making, describing “biodiversity loss, climate change, and wasteful resource use are threats to our national security”, and promotes “market-based policies” to environmental challenges. Members of its parliamentary caucus, such as Smith, are thought to generally align with the group’s “green” message and environmentalism.

Brexit and Europe

Customs union vote (2025): In December 2025, Smith voted against the UK-EU Customs Union (Duty to Negotiate) Bill. The bill, introduced under the 10-minute rule procedure by Liberal Democrat Europe spokesperson Al Pinkerton, sought to mandate the government to enter into negotiations with the European Union to establish a bespoke customs union.

Assisted dying

Smith voted against the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, better known as the assisted dying bill, at both second reading (November 2024) and third reading (June 2025).

Social values and conscience issues

Abortion decriminalisation (2025): Smith voted against a backbench amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill that sought to decriminalise abortion in England and Wales in June 2025. The amendment, which was passed by a majority of 242 votes, removed women from the threat of prosecution for ending a pregnancy at any stage. As an issue of conscience, MPs were allowed to vote according to their personal beliefs.

Before Politics

Rebecca Jane Smith was born in Plymouth in 1980. She attended Plymouth High School for Girls.

Smith studied modern history and politics at the University of Southampton, graduating in 2002.

After university, she worked in Brussels as a parliamentary researcher to Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) member of the European Parliament (MEP) Jim Nicholson. She then worked in Plymouth City Council’s homeless and social housing unit.

Smith went on to work as a senior parliamentary assistant and adviser to Conservative MP David Burrowes (2005-2010). She has worked in several parliamentary offices, including those of Stepehn O’Brien, Derek Thomas and Johnny Mercer.

Smith was the constituency communications manager for Gary Streeter, the Conservative MP for South West Devon, from 2016 to 2024.

Personal Life

Smith is a Christian.

Trivia

Smith first met her predecessor as the MP for South West Devon, Gary Streeter, at a Kylie Minogue concert in 1991.

Smith is a self-described “avid Formula One fan”.