The John Smith Trust was founded in 1996 in memory of the Rt Hon John Smith QC MP – one of the outstanding political leaders of his generation, and a man whose life embodied the values this organisation exists to advance. 

John Smith was born in Argyll and came from a modest background. He rose through the law and into politics on the strength of his intellect, his formidable debating skills and a rare gift for achieving practical compromise.

As leader of the Labour Party, he helped steer it through a period of profound ideological crisis – and was widely expected to become the next Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

He died suddenly in May 1994, aged 55, mourned by the British public and by all who had worked alongside him.

John Smith asked for nothing more than what he called "the opportunity to serve our country." It is a phrase that still defines us.

The values John Smith lived by 

John Smith believed in good governance, the rule of law and social justice – not as abstractions, but as the practical foundations of a decent society. He was a champion of women in public life long before it was common: introducing all-women shortlists in the Labour Party in 1993, helping to pave the way for a record number of female MPs in the 1997 General Election. 

The Trust was established by John Smith's widow, Baroness Elizabeth Smith, to continue his mission: to find and nurture leaders who share his commitment to fairer, more sustainable and inclusive societies.  

A new chapter as the Just Society Trust

In 2026, as we marked thirty years of Fellowship programmes, the Trust took a significant step forward – adopting a new name that reflects how far the work has come and where it is heading next. 

We are now the Just Society Trust. The values that John Smith embodied – good governance, the rule of law, social justice – remain at our core. But the challenges our Fellows are navigating are no longer unique to one region. Polarisation, fragmentation, declining trust in democratic institutions: these are shared struggles, and they call for a network equal to their complexity. 

The new name honours our roots while making space for how we have evolved into a growing community of collaborative leaders, working together across borders to shape societies that are fairer, more sustainable and resilient. 

This moment of transition also marked the retirement of our Founding Chair, Baroness Elizabeth Smith, after thirty years of dedicated service. It was Elizabeth who ensured that her husband's commitment to internationalism and public service would outlive him – and who built, with extraordinary care and tenacity, the network that now carries his legacy forward.  

We step into this next chapter with pride in what has been built, and with a deep sense of purpose about what comes next.