Chloe Smith

Friday

Chloe Smith

The Chloe Smith Edition

From our UK edition

27 min listen

Chloe Smith is the Conservative MP for Norwich North and minister at the Cabinet Office. She entered parliament at the age of 27 and rose through the ranks quickly. In 2012, she was interviewed by Jeremy Paxman in what has been described as a 'car crash interview' when she was sent out to defend then-Chancellor George Osborne's U-turn on fuel duty. On the podcast, she talks to Katy about what it was like to do that interview and the aftermath, why she proposed to her husband, and what it was like to receive a fake anthrax package.

Friday

Chloe Smith

We can win Generation Y over to politics – and the Conservatives

From our UK edition

There are more people who have not yet voted for the Conservative Party than could ever leave it for Ukip. My party needs to remember: all voters matter, not just those Tories being wooed by Nigel Farage. The real prize is not stopping voters defecting to Ukip – it is making the Conservative Party the natural home for the next generation. In Britain today we have a dwindling generation of older people who use their vote, and a growing camp of younger people who don’t. Does that mean we shouldn't bother with the young? Absolutely not. It would be wrong to ignore this phenomenon. Politicians need to meet it head on, and quickly. Most of today’s 18-24 year olds are not voting.

Wednesday

Chloe Smith

‘Newsnight offered me a goodbye interview with Jeremy Paxman. I didn’t return the call.’

From our UK edition

I have been very touched this week by the messages of goodwill I’ve had after revealing my decision to step down from being a minister. I’m neither the first nor the last MP to enjoy my constituency work deeply.  Indeed, my predecessor in my own seat was well-regarded for being often obstinate in Westminster and a great constituency MP at home. I’m proud of what I’ve been able to contribute to my country, in three years as a whip and minister.