Martin Smyth
Martin Smyth | |
|---|---|
Robert Bradford | |
| Succeeded by | Alasdair McDonnell |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 15 June 1931 Belfast, Northern Ireland |
| Nationality | British |
| Political party | Ulster Unionist Party |
| Alma mater | Trinity College Dublin |
| Profession | Clergyman |
William Martin Smyth (born 15 June 1931) is a
Smyth was minister of Raffrey, County Down, congregation from 1957 to 1963 and of Alexandra Church, Belfast, 1963–1982.
Early life
Smyth was brought up in the Donegall Road area of Belfast and attended Methodist College Belfast and Trinity College Dublin.[3]
Early political career
Smyth's appointment as head of the Orange Order was seen at the time as a working-class revolt against its middle-class leadership.[citation needed] In the 1970s, he was prominent in the Vanguard movement, a faction within the UUP. However, when it split from the UUP to form the Vanguard Unionist Progressive Party, Smyth chose to remain with the UUP. In 1975, he was elected to the Constitutional Convention for Belfast South, polling more than double the electoral quota.[4]
Member of Parliament
Smyth was selected to fill the vacancy caused by the murder of
Smyth was on the parliamentary advisory board of Western Goals (UK), which held a well-attended fringe meeting at the Conservative Party conference in October 1988 on the subject of "International Terrorism – how the West can fight back". He was one of numerous high-profile speakers including General Sir Walter Walker, Andrew Hunter MP, Sir Alfred Sherman and Harvey Ward.[6] Hunter and Ward both gave considerable detail to the meeting concerning top-level links between the IRA and ANC.[7]
Having won first place in the ballot for Private Members' Bills, Smyth successfully introduced the Disabled Persons (Northern Ireland) Bill to afford disabled people in Northern Ireland analogous rights for disabled people elsewhere in the UK as provided for in the Disabled Persons (Services, Consultation and Representation) Act 1986. Smyth's Bill received
Unsuccessful leadership bid
Smyth
Later political career
In January 2005, Smyth announced he would be stepping down from Westminster at the next election to spend more time with his wife. He ended his House of Commons career in May 2005. During the election Smyth courted controversy when he and former Ulster Unionist leader Molyneaux appeared in a photograph with
People take pictures of me and they turn up in different places. I didn't sign any form, I didn't go out canvassing, but I was out canvassing with the only two unionist candidates who asked me.[15]
The candidates Smyth did canvass for were David Burnside in South Antrim and Rodney McCune in North Antrim.[14] In the event neither Unionist candidate won in South Belfast, with the seat being taken by the Social Democratic and Labour Party's Alasdair McDonnell amidst a unionist vote split.[16]
References
- ^ "Reverend Martin Smyth". Hansard. Retrieved 14 May 2021.
- ^ "Parliamentary career for The Rev Martin Smyth - MPs and Lords". UK Parliament. Retrieved 14 May 2021.
- ^ Lynn, Brendan. "Biographies of People Prominent During 'the Troubles'". CAIN Web Service. Retrieved 29 July 2016.
- ^ a b c South Belfast 1973–1984 ARK – Access Research Knowledge
- ^ South Belfast, 1983–1992 ARK – Access Research Knowledge
- ^ Labour Research, November 1988, p.2.
- Western Goals (UK), London.
- ^ Martin Smyth: A hardline challenger? BBC News, 23 March 2000
- ^ Rev Martin Smyth BBC News, 21 October 2002
- ^ Smyth wins UUP selection battle BBC News, 16 February 2001
- ^ MP warns of UUP crisis BBC News, 27 August 2003
- ^ Trimble calls emergency meeting of sundered UUP 4NI, 25 June 2003
- ^ Burnside and Smyth resume UUP Whip 4NI, 12 January 2004
- ^ a b Kerr, Michael David Trimble and the 2005 General election, Dublin (2005) pg 58
- ISBN 978-0-7165-3389-4.
- ^ South Belfast ARK – Access Research Knowledge
External links
- Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by Martin Smyth
- South Belfast election results ARK – Access Research Knowledge
