Julie Smith, Baroness Smith of Newnham

Julie Elizabeth Smith, Baroness Smith of Newnham (born 1 June 1969) is an academic specialising in European politics and a Liberal Democrat politician. From 2003 to 2015, she was a local councillor on Cambridge City Council. Since September 2014, she has been a life peer and a member of the House of Lords.

Smith was born on 1 June 1969. From 1980 to 1987, she was educated at Merchant Taylors' Girls' School, an all-girls selective independent school based in Great Crosby, Merseyside. After taking a gap year, she studied Philosophy, Politics and Economics at Brasenose College, Oxford and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree. She then undertook postgraduate study in politics at St Antony's College, Oxford, graduating with a Master of Philosophy (MPhil) degree and a Doctor of Philosophy (DPhil) degree. Having been awarded a Hanseatic Scholarship, she undertook further study in Hamburg from 1995 to 1997.

Academic career

Smith began her academic career lecturing in the International Relations and European Studies Department of the Central European University, an English-language university in Budapest, Hungary. In 1997, she joined the University of Cambridge as a lecturer in European politics. She was later promoted to senior lecturer in International Relations and became a Fellow of Robinson College. From 1999 to 2003, she was additionally the head of the European Programme at Chatham House.

Political career

Smith is a Liberal Democrat politician. From 2003 to May 2015, she was a local councillor representing Newnham on Cambridge City Council. She is also a vice-chair of the Liberal Democrats Federal Policy Committee.

In August 2014, it was announced that Smith would be made a life peer. On 12 September, the Queen conferred upon her the title of Baroness Smith of Newnham. She made her maiden speech in the House of Lords on the same day.

Involvement In EU Referendum

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

She has now taken an active involvement in Cambridge for Europe, a campaign which wants to spread a positive message regarding the UK's continued involvement in the EU. Smith is one of the group's leading patrons.

• Citizens' Europe?: European Elections and the Role of the European Parliament. Royal Institute of International Affairs. 1994. ISBN 0905031849. 
• Voice of the people: European Parliament in the 1990s. Royal Institute of International Affairs. 1995. ISBN 0905031881. 
• Europe's elected parliament (Contemporary European Studies). Sheffield Academic Press. 1999. ISBN 1850759995.