Angela Smith MP. Never heard of her before. Maybe you have. Anyhow, apparently she is threatening to leave the government over the abolition of the 10p income tax bracket.
Given her relative anonymity* – feel free to disagree – this isn’t a massive blow to Gordon Brown.
It would have been more exciting if it was the other Angela Smith MP, who is Parliamentary private secretary to the prime minister.
Still it isn’t great news given the brewing backbench dissent over the issue.
(*She is/was pps to Yvette Cooper, chief secretary to the Treasury)
UPDATE:
Smith has just told me: “No comment”. But she has told friends that she could be about to resign. Tomorrow seems likely.
LATEST UPDATE:
She has changed her mind. After a chat with the PM. Not the most impressive of rebellions.
Jim Pickard
Kiran Stacey
