Who is David Smith? Meet the new MP for North Northumberland

David Smith pulled off probably the biggest result in the North East in 2024’s General Election when he won the North Northumberland seat.

The former charity boss overturned a majority of more than 14,000 in the former Berwick constituency to return a majority of more than 5,000 over former Cabinet Minister Anne-Marie Trevelyan.

He said: “I feel absolutely elated and privileged to be elected as the member of parliament for North Northumberland. It’s a historic moment for the Labour Party.

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“I’m encouraged by the majority. We didn’t take anything for granted, we knew it would be tight and we had to fight for every vote - that’s how it should be, it’s about earning the trust of your electorate.”

Mr Smith - who has degrees from Glasgow University and Trinity College Dublin - has spent his working life in the charity and housing sectors, most recently working as chief executive at Oasis Community Housing, a homelessness charity in Gateshead. His CV also reflects his Christian faith, with jobs at the Bible Society and Tearfund.

On LinkedIn, he says: “I’m a campaigner at heart. I like people, and most of my working life has been spent on working for social good. Through a varied career I’ve worked both in the UK and overseas to promote fairness, egalitarianism, compassion and the empowerment of the vulnerable.

“My belief in peacemaking led me to create and establish a reconciliation project for young people in Northern Ireland that took on sectarianism at its root. Through my work with the development charity Tearfund, and as head of international programme with Bible Society I’ve overseen projects in over 40 countries that have brought transformational change.

“I have a passion for politics and public affairs, gained through my studies and working as a researcher for a Member of Parliament. I have spent much of the last few years working closely with politicians from around the world on advocacy projects.”