Elizabeth Margaret Smith, Baroness Smith of Gilmorehill, DL (née Bennett; born 4 June 1940), is a British peer and patron of the arts. She is the widow of John Smith, who led the Labour Party from 1992 to 1994.
The Baroness Smith of Gilmorehill | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 2018 | |
| Member of the House of Lords | |
| Life peerage 17 February 1995 – 28 February 2025 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Elizabeth Margaret Bennett 4 June 1940 |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 3, including Sarah and Catherine |
| University of Glasgow | |
Born Elizabeth Margaret Bennett, Smith was educated at Hutchesons' Girls Grammar School and the University of Glasgow.[1]
Baroness Smith is the president of Scottish Opera and served as the chairman of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe from 1995 to 2012.[2] She is also a governor of the English-Speaking Union and a board member of the Centre for European Reform. Within a year of her husband's death, she was created a life peer as Baroness Smith of Gilmorehill, of Gilmorehill in the District of the City of Glasgow on 17 February 1995.[3] From 1998 to 2001, she served as president of Birkbeck College, University of London.[1] In 2002, she was elected a fellow of Birkbeck, one of the college's highest honours.[1]
Smith retired from the House of Lords in February 2025,[4] having not spoken in the Lords chamber since 1999.[5]
Smith received an Honorary Doctorate from Heriot-Watt University in 1998.[6]
She has three daughters, including Sarah Smith, who is the BBC News North America Editor, and Catherine Smith, who is Advocate General for Scotland.[7]
References
edit- 1 2 3 "Baroness Elizabeth Smith of Gilmorehill". Birkbeck.
- ↑ "The Scotsman".
- ↑ "No. 53963". The London Gazette. 22 February 1995. p. 2512.
- ↑ "House of Lords Business". House of Lords. Retrieved 11 March 2025.
- ↑ Goodier, Michael (11 March 2025). "Silent minority: 15 peers claimed £585k while not speaking in a single Lords debate". The Guardian. Retrieved 11 March 2025.
- ↑ "Heriot-Watt University Edinburgh: Honorary Graduates". www1.hw.ac.uk. Archived from the original on 18 April 2016. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
- ↑ "Ministerial appointment: 29 August 2024". Gov.UK. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
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