Des Smith
Encyclopedia
Desmond 'Des' P Smith MA
, BA
, ACDip was, until his retirement in July 2006, the successful headteacher
at All Saints Catholic School and Technology College, Dagenham
. Smith attracted media attention by making the indiscreet remarks that triggered the Cash for Peerages
scandal.
, also in Dagenham
, to drive up standards at both schools.
According to his local Labour MP Jon Cruddas
, Smith did a "fantastic" job at his school. Crudas also said that Smith "had transformed the lives of thousands of poor children".
Smith described his career high as "My first prize-giving evening as headteacher. It was very humbling to recognise the effort and hard work of our pupils."
(of which Lord Levy
is the President), which helped the government recruit sponsors for the £5bn City Academy
programme.
embarked on a sting operation
to investigate allegations that honours were available to be 'bought'. Over a champagne dinner with an undercover
reporter Smith is alleged to have said "Because basically . . . the prime minister
’s office would recommend someone like Malcolm (a fictional potential donor) for an OBE
, a CBE
or a knight
hood". When the investigation was published Smith quit his post with the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust in January 2006.
On 13 April 2006 the Metropolitan Police arrested Smith under the Honours (Prevention of Abuses) Act 1925
but, shortly afterwards, Scotland Yard
announced that he was freed on bail "to return... pending further inquiries". Smith gave an emotional interview, on 3 December 2006, to the Mail on Sunday, providing the front-page headline, in which he said "I demand that Blair is arrested at 10 Downing Street at 7.20am, that he is taken to a police station — hopefully Stoke Newington, which is a very unpleasant Bastille-type place — and treated the same way that I have been treated.", mirroring his own experience of arrest. The Crown Prosecution Service
announced, on 7 February 2007, that Smith would not face any charges because there was "insufficient evidence" to charge him with an offence under the 1925 Act
.
.
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
, BA
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
, ACDip was, until his retirement in July 2006, the successful headteacher
Head teacher
A head teacher or school principal is the most senior teacher, leader and manager of a school....
at All Saints Catholic School and Technology College, Dagenham
Dagenham
Dagenham is a large suburb in East London, forming the eastern part of the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham and located east of Charing Cross. It was historically an agrarian village in the county of Essex and remained mostly undeveloped until 1921 when the London County Council began...
. Smith attracted media attention by making the indiscreet remarks that triggered the Cash for Peerages
Cash for Peerages
Cash for Honours is the name given by some in the media to a political scandal in the United Kingdom in 2006 and 2007 concerning the connection between political donations and the award of life peerages...
scandal.
All Saints Catholic School, Dagenham
Smith was the head of All Saints Catholic School, Dagenham (until 1989 known as Bishop Ward) to 2006. When he took over, standards at Bishop Ward were poor with an atmosphere described as "depressed and violent". Following the appointment of Smith in 1984 results steadily improved until in 2003 it was considered "the second most improved school in England". Smith had worked with Paul Grant, head at Robert Clack SchoolRobert Clack School
Robert Clack School is a comprehensive school in the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham.Since 1997, Sir Paul Grant has been the Headmaster of Robert Clack. Before hand, Robert Clack was a failing school with cause for concern from the LEA and the council....
, also in Dagenham
Dagenham
Dagenham is a large suburb in East London, forming the eastern part of the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham and located east of Charing Cross. It was historically an agrarian village in the county of Essex and remained mostly undeveloped until 1921 when the London County Council began...
, to drive up standards at both schools.
According to his local Labour MP Jon Cruddas
Jon Cruddas
Jonathan Cruddas is a British Labour Party politician who is the Member of Parliament for Dagenham and Rainham. He was first elected in 2001 to the seat of Dagenham....
, Smith did a "fantastic" job at his school. Crudas also said that Smith "had transformed the lives of thousands of poor children".
Smith described his career high as "My first prize-giving evening as headteacher. It was very humbling to recognise the effort and hard work of our pupils."
City Academy programme
Des Smith was a council member of the Specialist Schools and Academies TrustSpecialist Schools and Academies Trust
The Specialist Schools and Academies Trust is an independent, not-for-profit, membership organisation with headquarters in the United Kingdom, dedicated to raising standards and achievement in secondary schools in England and internationally...
(of which Lord Levy
Michael Levy, Baron Levy
Michael Abraham Levy, Baron Levy, is President of Community Service Volunteers Jewish Care, Jewish Free School and Jewish Lads' and Girls' Brigade ....
is the President), which helped the government recruit sponsors for the £5bn City Academy
Academy (England)
In the education system of England, an academy is a school that is directly funded by central government and independent of control by local government in England. An academy may receive additional support from personal or corporate sponsors, either financially or in kind...
programme.
Cash for peerages
In January 2006 the Sunday TimesThe Sunday Times (UK)
The Sunday Times is a Sunday broadsheet newspaper, distributed in the United Kingdom. The Sunday Times is published by Times Newspapers Ltd, a subsidiary of News International, which is in turn owned by News Corporation. Times Newspapers also owns The Times, but the two papers were founded...
embarked on a sting operation
Sting operation
In law enforcement, a sting operation is a deceptive operation designed to catch a person committing a crime. A typical sting will have a law-enforcement officer or cooperative member of the public play a role as criminal partner or potential victim and go along with a suspect's actions to gather...
to investigate allegations that honours were available to be 'bought'. Over a champagne dinner with an undercover
Undercover
Being undercover is disguising one's own identity or using an assumed identity for the purposes of gaining the trust of an individual or organization to learn secret information or to gain the trust of targeted individuals in order to gain information or evidence...
reporter Smith is alleged to have said "Because basically . . . the prime minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
’s office would recommend someone like Malcolm (a fictional potential donor) for an OBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, a CBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
or a knight
Knight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
hood". When the investigation was published Smith quit his post with the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust in January 2006.
On 13 April 2006 the Metropolitan Police arrested Smith under the Honours (Prevention of Abuses) Act 1925
Honours (Prevention of Abuses) Act 1925
The Honours Act 1925 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, that makes the sale of peerages or any other honours illegal...
but, shortly afterwards, Scotland Yard
Scotland Yard
Scotland Yard is a metonym for the headquarters of the Metropolitan Police Service of London, UK. It derives from the location of the original Metropolitan Police headquarters at 4 Whitehall Place, which had a rear entrance on a street called Great Scotland Yard. The Scotland Yard entrance became...
announced that he was freed on bail "to return... pending further inquiries". Smith gave an emotional interview, on 3 December 2006, to the Mail on Sunday, providing the front-page headline, in which he said "I demand that Blair is arrested at 10 Downing Street at 7.20am, that he is taken to a police station — hopefully Stoke Newington, which is a very unpleasant Bastille-type place — and treated the same way that I have been treated.", mirroring his own experience of arrest. The Crown Prosecution Service
Crown Prosecution Service
The Crown Prosecution Service, or CPS, is a non-ministerial department of the Government of the United Kingdom responsible for public prosecutions of people charged with criminal offences in England and Wales. Its role is similar to that of the longer-established Crown Office in Scotland, and the...
announced, on 7 February 2007, that Smith would not face any charges because there was "insufficient evidence" to charge him with an offence under the 1925 Act
Honours (Prevention of Abuses) Act 1925
The Honours Act 1925 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, that makes the sale of peerages or any other honours illegal...
.
Drink-driving
Smith pleaded guilty to a drink-driving offence on 25 July 2006. After he had crashed his car, he was found to be almost three times over the drink-drive limit. Smith was banned from driving for three years, fined £1,800, and ordered to attend a drink-impaired drivers' course and carry out 80 hours community serviceCommunity service
Community service is donated service or activity that is performed by someone or a group of people for the benefit of the public or its institutions....
.