14 Facts About Martin Smyth

William Martin Smyth was born on 15 June 1931 and is a Northern Irish unionist clergyman-politician.

Martin Smyth was a vice-president of the Conservative Monday Club.

Martin Smyth was brought up in the Donegall Road area of Belfast and attended Methodist College Belfast and Trinity College Dublin.

However, when it split from the UUP to form the Vanguard Unionist Progressive Party, Martin Smyth chose to remain with the UUP.

Martin Smyth was selected to fill the vacancy caused by the murder of Robert Bradford, MP for South Belfast.

Martin Smyth was one of numerous high-profile speakers including General Sir Walter Walker, Andrew Hunter MP, Sir Alfred Sherman and Harvey Ward.

Martin Smyth ran for the leadership of the UUP in 1995 after James Molyneaux stood down but lost to David Trimble.

Martin Smyth was opposed to the Good Friday Agreement but was considered a moderate in the early 1990s.

Martin Smyth was condemned in 1993 by the Democratic Unionist Party for suggesting that talks with Sinn Fein might be possible.

Martin Smyth challenged Trimble for the party leadership in 2000 and was again unsuccessful.

Martin Smyth was unsuccessfully challenged for the UUP nomination in Belfast South by Michael McGimpsey before the 2001 general election, and went on to hold the seat.

In January 2005, Martin Smyth announced he would be stepping down from Westminster at the next election to spend more time with his wife.

Martin Smyth ended his House of Commons career in May 2005.

The candidates Martin Smyth did canvass for were David Burnside in South Antrim and Rodney McCune in North Antrim.