Angela Christine Smith (born 16 August 1961) is a British former politician who served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Penistone and Stocksbridge from 2010 to 2019 and MP for Sheffield Hillsborough from 2005 to 2010. A member of the Liberal Democrats, she was previously an MP for the Labour Party and Change UK. She was also an Independent politician before joining the Liberal Democrats. Smith was an early critic of Jeremy Corbyn's leadership, backing a no-confidence vote in 2016; in part due to this position, she lost a no-confidence motion in her constituency. She resigned from Labour in February 2019 alongside six other MPs in protest at Corbyn's leadership, and they formed the Independent Group, later Change UK. In June 2019, she left Change UK to sit as an independent MP before joining the Liberal Democrats in September. At the 2019 general election, she stood as a Liberal Democrat in Altrincham and Sale West, where she finished third. Early life and career before Parliament Smith was born on 16 August 1961 in Grimsby. She grew up in Grimsby, where her grandfather had been Mayor. She attended Waltham Leas Primary School (now The Leas Junior School) in Waltham and Tollbar Secondary School, in New Waltham, Lincolnshire. She joined the Labour Party at the age of 16 and worked for the NHS for five years, before taking A-levels on an evening course. She studied English at the University of Nottingham in September 1987. Smith began a PhD at Newnham College, Cambridge, but did not complete it. She was an English lecturer at Dearne Valley College in Wath upon Dearne from 1994 until 2003. She stood unsuccessfully as the Labour Party candidate for the Castle Ward of Cambridge City Council in May 1994. She was elected a Labour member of Sheffield City Council in 1996 for the ward of Broomhill, before winning in Birley ward in 2000 and 2004. She stood down in 2005 and the new Labour candidate won the by-election in May 2005. Parliamentary career At the 2005 general election, Smith was elected Member of Parliament for Sheffield Hillsborough. In 2007, she was appointed Parliamentary Private Secretary and chief aide to Yvette Cooper. The Sheffield Hillsborough seat was abolished at the 2010 election, but Smith was elected as the MP for the newly created Penistone and Stocksbridge constituency. She was re-elected at the 2015 general election and 2017 general election.