1. Hugh Smyth OBE was a Northern Irish Ulster Loyalist and politician who was leader of the Progressive Unionist Party from 1979 to 2002, as well as during an interim period in 2011.
17 Facts About Hugh Smyth
1. 2.
Hugh Smyth was Lord Mayor of Belfast from 1994 to 1995, as well as a Belfast City Councillor for the Court and Belfast Area E DEAs from 1972 to January 2014, making him one of the longest-serving members on the Council.
3.
Hugh Smyth first came to attention in the early 1970s when he served as a public spokesman for the Ulster Volunteer Force although he was not an active member of the organisation.
4.
Hugh Smyth was elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly in 1973 under the label of Independent Unionist, a well-established term used in Northern Irish politics for unionists outside the major unionist parties.
5.
Hugh Smyth joined its successor group, the Volunteer Political Party, when it was formed, but this group made no impact and dissolved soon afterwards.
6.
Hugh Smyth was elected to the Northern Ireland Constitutional Convention in 1975, as an Independent Unionist.
7.
Hugh Smyth was close to leading UVF member Gusty Spence, who had become a supporter of political methods, and the two worked to recruit David Ervine to the PUP after being impressed by his ability as a speaker.
8.
Hugh Smyth was first elected to the council in 1972 as representative for the Shankill ward.
9.
Hugh Smyth won a by-election resulting from the resignation of John McQuade, and beat James Brown of the Ulster Unionist Party and David Robb of the Ulster Constitution Party in a three-way contest.
10.
Hugh Smyth subsequently represented the Court electoral area which covered Glencairn, Highfield, Woodvale and the mid and lower Shankill areas.
11.
Hugh Smyth was appointed as Alderman in 1978, receiving the same honour in 1985,1989 and 1993.
12.
Indeed, Spence has claimed that Hugh Smyth personally held a number of individual meetings with John Major in the aftermath of the ceasefire.
13.
Hugh Smyth was a candidate in the Northern Ireland Assembly elections of 1998 and 2003, in his home constituency of West Belfast, though was unsuccessful.
14.
Hugh Smyth gave up leadership of the PUP in 2002, with Ervine chosen as his successor.
15.
Hugh Smyth successfully defended his council seat in the 2011 local elections.
16.
Hugh Smyth was not due to be a candidate for the 2014 local elections having announced his retirement from politics due to ill health in late 2013.
17.
Hugh Smyth's death was announced on 12 May 2014 following a period of illness.