Rebecca Smith.

A 100% party-line Conservative who has never broken ranks, Rebecca Smith has been most active recently pressing the government on planning, schools, and employment law. In the past week she voted against regulations that remove the academy presumption from new schools, opposed a national delegation scheme that would strip elected councillors of scrutiny over smaller planning applications, and voted down extended time limits for employment tribunal claims — all standard Conservative positions opposing government legislation. She also acted as a teller for the opposition's motion criticising the government's early prisoner release scheme, a visible procedural role that puts her name on the record.

At Westminster, Smith votes in roughly 70% of divisions — a few points below the Commons average — and sticks entirely with her party when she does. Her speeches, spanning over 500 contributions in two years, cluster around the economy and jobs, social care, local government, and health. Her stance profile marks her as strongly pro-business and anti-tax, with very low alignment on workers' rights and climate votes. Against her party average, she leans a little more towards civil liberties and local democratic accountability, and is notably less supportive than most Conservatives on assisted dying access. She sits on the Transport Committee.

Outside Westminster, her local coverage is mixed. A 2025 BBC report criticised her for attending just one planning committee meeting at Plymouth City Council since the municipal year began — she held both her MP seat and a council seat simultaneously, drawing accusations of divided loyalties. Other coverage is more positive, crediting her with securing a new Post Office after a long campaign and pressing ministers on fuel duty, flooding, and transport. News from the past 90 days averages a neutral sentiment across 20 articles. Parliamentary data covers her full term from July 2024.