Rebecca Smith · Conservative and Unionist Party
South West, England
: 77,600
Con held for 5 consecutive elections.
MP News Approval i
+56
Rebecca Smith
Conservative and Unionist PartyRebecca Smith is the Conservative MP for South West Devon, and has been an MP continually since 4 July 2024. She currently undertakes the role of Opposition Assistant Whip (Commons).
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Sign up freeCoverage of South West Devon has been mixed for Rebecca across 40 recent articles.
Positive coverage
“South West set for £50m maritime drone investment - South West” — The UK
“South West to get £50m boost for underwater drones” — BBC
A marginal seat — won by just 2,112 votes (4.0%) in 2024. Covers Plymouth, Ivybridge and Horrabridge. Population 94,723, notably older (median age 47 vs 41 nationally). Recorded crime is 60% below the national average.
£50 million defence deal announced in Plymouth
Plymouth Herald · 9 Apr 2026
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Sign up freeMedian Income▼
£27,300
per year (HMRC 2022-23)
Mean Income▼
£34,400
per year (HMRC 2022-23)
Businesses▼
3,170
VAT/PAYE registered (ONS 2024)
Schools▼
43
34 primary, 5 secondary, 4 other
Total Income Tax▼
£260m
from 55,000 taxpayers
Median Tax▼
£2,670
per taxpayer / year
Mean Tax
£4,740
per taxpayer / year
Source: HMRC Survey of Personal Incomes, tax year 2022-23. Allocated by taxpayer residence. Covers income tax only — excludes NI, VAT, and capital gains. Sample-based estimate (~8% confidence interval).
Attainment 8▼
47.9
average score (DfE)
GCSE Pass Rate▼
71.1%
5+ GCSEs 9-4 (DfE)
1 city, 2 towns, 7 villages, rural areas — 97,620 total population
Source: ONS Built-Up Areas (Census 2021) + data.police.uk — crime rates are per 1,000 population (last 3 months)
Source: data.police.uk — street-level crime data aggregated from LSOA to constituency
20 councillors across 14 wards · Last elections: May 2024
| Ward | Party | Councillor | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bickleigh Cornwood | Liberal Democrats | Christopher Michael Oram | May 2023 |
| Buckland Monachorum | Independent Berwick Hills Resident | Alastair Clark Cunningham | May 2023 |
| Independent Berwick Hills Resident | Ric Cheadle | May 2023 | |
| Burrator | Liberal Democrats | Christopher Paul West | Jun 2023 |
| Liberal Democrats | Nick Viney | Jun 2023 | |
| Ermington Ugborough | Liberal Democrats | Alison Dewynter | May 2023 |
| Ivybridge East | Liberal Democrats | Matt Steele | May 2023 |
| Liberal Democrats | Victor Abbott | May 2023 | |
| Ivybridge West | Liberal Democrats | Nadine Dommett | May 2023 |
| Liberal Democrats | Pablo Munoz | May 2023 | |
| Newton Yealmpton | Liberal Democrats | Dan Thomas | May 2023 |
| Liberal Democrats | Tom Edie | May 2023 | |
| Plympton Chaddlewood | Green Party of England and Wales | Lauren McLay | May 2024 |
| Plympton Erle | Independent Berwick Hills Resident | Andrea Victoria Loveridge | May 2024 |
| Plympton St Mary | Independent Berwick Hills Resident | Sally Ann Nicholson | May 2024 |
| Plymstock Dunstone | Labour Party | Maria Lawson | May 2024 |
| Plymstock Radford | Labour Party | Daniel Steel | May 2024 |
| Wembury Brixton | Conservative and Unionist Party | Alison Nix | May 2023 |
| Conservative and Unionist Party | Julie Carson | May 2023 | |
| Woolwell | Conservative and Unionist Party | Nicky Hopwood | May 2023 |
Source: DCLEAPIL v1.0 by Jason Leman, LEAP (Andrew Teale) & Democracy Club. CC BY-SA 4.0. Data last refreshed: 1 Apr 2026.
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Con | 17,916 | 34.3% | |
| Lab | 15,804 | 30.3% | |
| Ref | 9,361 | 17.9% | |
| LD | 5,551 | 10.6% | |
| Green | 2,925 | 5.6% | |
| Ind | 438 | 0.8% | |
| Ind | 141 | 0.3% | |
| Ind | 106 | 0.2% |
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
✓ Won 2017 GEWon 2015 GEWon 2010 GE | Con | 33,286 | 62.4% |
| Lab | 11,856 | 22.2% | |
| LD | 6,207 | 11.6% | |
| Green | 2,018 | 3.8% |
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
✓ Won 2019 GEWon 2015 GEWon 2010 GE | Con | 31,634 | 59.9% |
| Lab | 15,818 | 29.9% | |
Won 2024 GE | LD | 2,732 | 5.2% |
| Ind | 1,540 | 2.9% | |
| Green | 1,133 | 2.1% |
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
✓ Won 2019 GEWon 2017 GEWon 2010 GE | Con | 28,500 | 56.6% |
| Lab | 8,391 | 16.7% | |
| Ind | 7,306 | 14.5% | |
| LD | 3,767 | 7.5% | |
| Green | 2,408 | 4.8% |
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
✓ Won 2019 GEWon 2017 GEWon 2015 GE | Con | 27,908 | 56.0% |
| LD | 12,034 | 24.1% | |
Won 2024 GEWon 2019 GEWon 2017 GE | Lab | 6,193 | 12.4% |
| Ind | 3,084 | 6.2% | |
| Green | 641 | 1.3% |
Rebecca Smith appeared in 1 national article across 2 topics (12 Apr 2026 – 12 Apr 2026)
Positive (+0.30)Ranked #120 of 286 MPs mentioned in national coverage
Smith welcomed defence investment but constructively warned of risks to local businesses without regulatory and investment changes, showing engaged constituency representation.
22 articles hidden as not sufficiently relevant to this constituency
The government has awarded £50 million to Plymouth as part of a defence growth deal to develop maritime innovation and drone technology, with additional support for skills training. South West Devon MP Rebecca Smith welcomed the investment but called for regulatory reform and faster decision-making to help local businesses thrive.
Two men were stabbed and injured during a fight on Regent Street in Plymouth near Charles Cross Police Station. Two men were arrested on suspicion of affray and GBH with intent; both remain in custody.
Devon and Cornwall Police conducted a drug enforcement operation in Ivybridge, seizing suspected cannabis from a residential address on Bridge Park. The operation involved sniffer dogs and the Neighbourhood Support Team, with no arrests made, and police are urging the community to report drug-related information.
The government is investing £50m in the South West's maritime drone sector as part of its defence growth strategy, aiming to create hundreds of jobs and support autonomous vessel development. MP Rebecca Smith welcomes the investment but warns that without regulatory changes and a stronger defence investment plan, businesses may relocate, risking the region's position as a leader in marine autonomy.
Plymouth City Council has implemented traffic regulation orders affecting parking controls and speed limits across the city under its Living Streets 8 programme, with changes to Jennycliffe Lane, Stamford Lane, and Staddon Lane among other locations. The orders were made on 8 April 2026 following police consultation and aim to improve traffic management, safety, and support for walking and cycling.
Plymouth Argyle and Exeter City will face off in the Devon Derby at Home Park on Saturday, with police warning fans of firm action against poor behaviour. Both teams are fighting for different objectives—Argyle pursuing a play-off place while Exeter City seeks to escape the relegation zone.
Plymouth's The Box museum has achieved record visitor numbers (356,000+ visits in 2025-26), driven primarily by the Beryl Cook exhibition which has attracted 52,000 visitors. The venue's success is boosting Plymouth's tourism economy and cultural reputation, with nearly half of visitors coming from outside the local area.
The University of Plymouth is launching a citizen science project asking residents to collect micrometeorites from their roofs and gutters as part of a national cosmic dust archive initiative. The project aims to engage communities in scientific discovery while gathering samples that could improve understanding of early planetary formation and Earth's atmospheric history.
A man has been acquitted of murder and manslaughter in connection with a fatal acid attack on a Plymouth drug dealer in February. The case involves multiple defendants from London and Plymouth, with the trial continuing at Winchester Crown Court over charges related to organized crime and attempted kidnapping.
Rebecca Smith argues that Prime Minister Starmer's welfare spending priorities have delayed the Defence Investment Plan, which is critical for South West Devon's defence sector ambitions including marine autonomy development in Plymouth and support for local defence SMEs. She contends the delay risks losing investment and innovation opportunities to competitors abroad and calls for urgent government action.
Plymouth City Council has announced a temporary overnight closure of Mutley Plain Lane between Connaught Avenue and Belgrave Road from 11pm to 7am on 7-8 May 2026 to allow South West Water to conduct meter works. The closure is part of routine infrastructure maintenance delivered by contractor Kier, with signed diversions and on-site traffic management to guide road users.
Plymouth City Council and Cattewater Harbour Commissioners propose a regeneration scheme for Commercial Wharf at the Barbican, described as underused and cluttered. The plan includes improved signage, lighting, landscaping, and flexible event spaces to transform it into a vibrant waterfront destination alongside the South West Coast Path.
FanParks is launching a World Cup viewing experience at The Depo & Level 33 in Plymouth, featuring a large outdoor LED screen, live music, local food vendors, and VIP seating. The venue, recently awarded South West Grassroots Venue of the Year, will host England's group stage matches starting June 17, 2026.
Sutton Harbour Group Plc, which holds the lease of Plymouth's disused airport, has been given a six-month extension by NatWest to repay £6.5m, with the company facing significant financial pressure as it manages £21.7m in total borrowing. The company's struggles have implications for Plymouth's waterfront regeneration plans and the future of the former airport site, which has been the subject of two years of talks with Plymouth City Council.
Plymouth is experiencing significant economic revitalization driven by £4.4bn in guaranteed defence spending over the next decade, focused on maintaining and refitting nuclear submarines at Devonport dockyard. The city aims to attract 5,500 new dockyard workers and leverage this investment to regenerate its struggling city centre through new housing and infrastructure.
English National Ballet will perform at Theatre Royal Plymouth for the first time in 36 years, staging 'Body & Soul', a double bill of contemporary dance works, from 30 April to 2 May 2026. The performance represents a significant cultural event for the South West region and demonstrates the Theatre Royal's commitment to bringing world-class arts to the constituency.
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