SOUTH Basildon and East Thurrock MP Angela Smith has been promoted to Minister for the Voluntary Sector(full details to come)
Ms Smith has been Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) to Gordon Brown for the past two years and has always been seen as a loyal colleague to the beleagured PM.
How long she will be in the position is a moot point as Mr Brown allied with Peter Mandelson appears to be assessing who is “loyal” and who isn’t.
There is a meeting tonight (6pm) of the Parliamentary Labour Party. Thenit will be made clear whether there are more than 75 Labour MP’s ready to call for the PM to go. As no obvious contender has emerged, some feel that he will survive but with such a divided party many Labour MP’s and activists believe that Brown has less chance of winning an election than Michael Foot in 1983.
Angela Smith should answer letters sent to her by her residents before she starts taking on extra duties.
I wrote to her on 30th April and am still waiting for a reply.
I wonder if this promotion will allow her to claim even more expenses? I mean, we can’t expect her to drive to and from work can we, she must have a second home?