[2] After taking a gap year, she studied Philosophy, Politics and Economics at Brasenose College, Oxford and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree.

[2] She was later promoted to senior lecturer in International Relations and became a Fellow of Robinson College.

[13] On 12 September 2014 she was created Baroness Smith of Newnham, of Crosby in the County of Merseyside.

[14] She made her maiden speech in the House of Lords on 25 November 2014, during a debate on the United Kingdom's membership of the European Union.

[4] As demonstrated by the topic of Smith's maiden speech, she is firmly convinced of the benefits that the EU brings to the UK.