Eric Smyth
Encyclopedia
Eric Smyth is a unionist
politician
and religious minister in Northern Ireland
.
Smyth was first elected to Belfast City Council
for the Democratic Unionist Party
(DUP) in 1981
, representing 'Area F' which was equivalent to the modern wards of Falls, Clonard, Blackstaff and Shaftesbury. However Area F was abolished in 1985
, and Smyth moved to the Court district electoral area which covered the Greater Shankill area. He was elected and held his seat at each subsequent election.
In the 1990s, Smyth's two sons were jailed on drugs charges. Following this, he spent considerable time campaigning against drugs, and in 2003 he joined European Cities Against Drugs. In 1995 - 96, he served as Lord Mayor of Belfast
, and during his term of office, he formally welcomed Bill Clinton
on a visit to Belfast
.
At the elections to the Northern Ireland Forum
in 1996, Smyth stood in West Belfast, but was unsuccessful, the list he headed winning only 4.2% of the votes cast. However, he was indirectly elected, as being placed seventh on the DUP's regional list ultimately enabled him to take one of the party's two "top-up" seats.
In September 1996, Smyth announced "I have started my boycott
. I will not shop in any Catholic shop". He also claimed that "the President [Bill Clinton] stands for republicanism
and is a supporter of it". He reversed his boycott call a week later, describing his statement as "a bit hasty".
Smyth stood in Northern Ireland Assembly election, 1998
in Belfast East
, but was not elected. In the 2001 UK general election, he stood for the Westminster seat of West Belfast, but was again unsuccessful, taking 6.4% of the vote.
In 2000, Smyth quit the DUP after he failed to win the party's nomination for the Lord Mayoralty. He was persuaded to return, but in 2003, he again announced that he was standing down as a councillor, in order to concentrate on his religious work. The following year, he decided to continue, He then stood for the Lord Mayoralty again, but was beaten by the Alliance Party
's Tom Ekin
on the casting vote of Martin Morgan
, the previous year's Lord Mayor. He instead stood for the Deputy's election, but was defeated by Joe O'Donnell of Sinn Féin
, this time on the casting vote of Ekin. Following this defeat, reports claim that he told Ekin "your hands are covered in blood, you shameless traitor". Despite his strong opposition to Sinn Féin, Smyth ignored the DUP's policy stating that its members should have no contact with the group.
Smyth again announced that he was standing down as a councillor in December 2004, on this occasion in an interview in which he made some criticisms of Ian Paisley
's leadership of the DUP, and in particular the placement of some former members of the Ulster Unionist Party
in prominent party roles. He did not stand for re-election in 2005
, and he instead focussed on his role as founder and Reverend of the Jesus Saves Mission Church, closely aligned with the Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster
. He left the DUP, and gave an interview in which he claimed that the unionist community on the Shankill Road did not want loyalist
paramilitaries
to give up their weapons.
In 2007, Smyth spoke out against the DUP's implementation of the St Andrews Agreement
. Following Paisley's agreement to stand down as Moderator of the Free Presbyterian Church, he stated that Paisley "has gone back on everything he ever preached and there was no way he could continue as leader although I do think he should have stood down years ago."
Unionism in Ireland
Unionism in Ireland is an ideology that favours the continuation of some form of political union between the islands of Ireland and Great Britain...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
and religious minister in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
.
Smyth was first elected to Belfast City Council
Belfast City Council
Belfast City Council is the local authority with responsibility for the city of Belfast, the capital and largest city of Northern Ireland. The Council serves an estimated population of , the largest of any district council in Northern Ireland, while also being the fourth smallest by area...
for the Democratic Unionist Party
Democratic Unionist Party
The Democratic Unionist Party is the larger of the two main unionist political parties in Northern Ireland. Founded by Ian Paisley and currently led by Peter Robinson, it is currently the largest party in the Northern Ireland Assembly and the fourth-largest party in the House of Commons of the...
(DUP) in 1981
Northern Ireland local elections, 1981
Elections for local government were held in Northern Ireland in 1981.-Overall:-Belfast:...
, representing 'Area F' which was equivalent to the modern wards of Falls, Clonard, Blackstaff and Shaftesbury. However Area F was abolished in 1985
Northern Ireland local elections, 1985
Elections for local government were held in Northern Ireland on 15 May 1985.-1981 elections:The previous elections had been fought in the middle of the hunger strike and the H-Block Prison Protest...
, and Smyth moved to the Court district electoral area which covered the Greater Shankill area. He was elected and held his seat at each subsequent election.
In the 1990s, Smyth's two sons were jailed on drugs charges. Following this, he spent considerable time campaigning against drugs, and in 2003 he joined European Cities Against Drugs. In 1995 - 96, he served as Lord Mayor of Belfast
Lord Mayor of Belfast
The Lord Mayor of Belfast is the leader and chairman of Belfast City Council, elected annually from and by the City's 51 councillors.The Lord Mayor is Niall Ó Donnghaile of Sinn Féin, while the Deputy Lord Mayor is Ruth Patterson of the Democratic Unionist Party, who were elected in May 2011.The...
, and during his term of office, he formally welcomed Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
on a visit to Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
.
At the elections to the Northern Ireland Forum
Northern Ireland Forum
The Northern Ireland Forum was a body set up in 1996 as part of a process of negotiations that eventually led to the Belfast Agreement in 1998....
in 1996, Smyth stood in West Belfast, but was unsuccessful, the list he headed winning only 4.2% of the votes cast. However, he was indirectly elected, as being placed seventh on the DUP's regional list ultimately enabled him to take one of the party's two "top-up" seats.
In September 1996, Smyth announced "I have started my boycott
Boycott
A boycott is an act of voluntarily abstaining from using, buying, or dealing with a person, organization, or country as an expression of protest, usually for political reasons...
. I will not shop in any Catholic shop". He also claimed that "the President [Bill Clinton] stands for republicanism
Irish Republicanism
Irish republicanism is an ideology based on the belief that all of Ireland should be an independent republic.In 1801, under the Act of Union, the Kingdom of Great Britain and the Kingdom of Ireland merged to form the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland...
and is a supporter of it". He reversed his boycott call a week later, describing his statement as "a bit hasty".
Smyth stood in Northern Ireland Assembly election, 1998
Northern Ireland Assembly election, 1998
-Seats summary:-Details:Although the SDLP won the most first preference votes, the Ulster Unionists won the most seats in the Assembly. This has been attributed to several reasons, including:...
in Belfast East
Belfast East (Assembly constituency)
Belfast East is a constituency in the Northern Ireland Assembly.The seat was first used for a Northern Ireland-only election for the Northern Ireland Assembly, 1973...
, but was not elected. In the 2001 UK general election, he stood for the Westminster seat of West Belfast, but was again unsuccessful, taking 6.4% of the vote.
In 2000, Smyth quit the DUP after he failed to win the party's nomination for the Lord Mayoralty. He was persuaded to return, but in 2003, he again announced that he was standing down as a councillor, in order to concentrate on his religious work. The following year, he decided to continue, He then stood for the Lord Mayoralty again, but was beaten by the Alliance Party
Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
The Alliance Party of Northern Ireland is a liberal and nonsectarian political party in Northern Ireland. It is Northern Ireland's fifth-largest party overall, with eight seats in the Northern Ireland Assembly and one in the House of Commons....
's Tom Ekin
Tom Ekin
Tom Ekin is a politician and business owner in Northern Ireland.Ekin joined the Alliance Party of Northern Ireland and was elected to Belfast City Council at the Northern Ireland local elections, 1997. From 2000 until 2002, he served as the Chairperson of Alliance.Ekin held his seat with an...
on the casting vote of Martin Morgan
Martin Morgan
Martin Morgan is a former Northern Irish politician for the Social Democratic and Labour Party .Married to Dympna, a double graduate from the Queen's University of Belfast and a qualified Master's Level Social Worker, Morgan was a political activist from his teenage years onwards.A former...
, the previous year's Lord Mayor. He instead stood for the Deputy's election, but was defeated by Joe O'Donnell of Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin is a left wing, Irish republican political party in Ireland. The name is Irish for "ourselves" or "we ourselves", although it is frequently mistranslated as "ourselves alone". Originating in the Sinn Féin organisation founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffith, it took its current form in 1970...
, this time on the casting vote of Ekin. Following this defeat, reports claim that he told Ekin "your hands are covered in blood, you shameless traitor". Despite his strong opposition to Sinn Féin, Smyth ignored the DUP's policy stating that its members should have no contact with the group.
Smyth again announced that he was standing down as a councillor in December 2004, on this occasion in an interview in which he made some criticisms of Ian Paisley
Ian Paisley
Ian Richard Kyle Paisley, Baron Bannside, PC is a politician and church minister in Northern Ireland. As the leader of the Democratic Unionist Party , he and Sinn Féin's Martin McGuinness were elected First Minister and deputy First Minister respectively on 8 May 2007.In addition to co-founding...
's leadership of the DUP, and in particular the placement of some former members of the Ulster Unionist Party
Ulster Unionist Party
The Ulster Unionist Party – sometimes referred to as the Official Unionist Party or, in a historic sense, simply the Unionist Party – is the more moderate of the two main unionist political parties in Northern Ireland...
in prominent party roles. He did not stand for re-election in 2005
Northern Ireland local elections, 2005
Elections for local government were held in Northern Ireland on 5 May 2005 along with the 2005 general election across the entire United Kingdom and local elections in England.-Results:-Belfast:-Derry:...
, and he instead focussed on his role as founder and Reverend of the Jesus Saves Mission Church, closely aligned with the Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster
Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster
The Free Presbyterian Church is a Presbyterian denomination founded by the Rev. Ian Paisley in 1951. Most of its members live in Northern Ireland...
. He left the DUP, and gave an interview in which he claimed that the unionist community on the Shankill Road did not want loyalist
Ulster loyalism
Ulster loyalism is an ideology that is opposed to a united Ireland. It can mean either support for upholding Northern Ireland's status as a constituent part of the United Kingdom , support for Northern Ireland independence, or support for loyalist paramilitaries...
paramilitaries
Paramilitary
A paramilitary is a force whose function and organization are similar to those of a professional military, but which is not considered part of a state's formal armed forces....
to give up their weapons.
In 2007, Smyth spoke out against the DUP's implementation of the St Andrews Agreement
St Andrews Agreement
The St Andrews Agreement was an agreement between the British and Irish Governments and the political parties in relation to the devolution of power to Northern Ireland...
. Following Paisley's agreement to stand down as Moderator of the Free Presbyterian Church, he stated that Paisley "has gone back on everything he ever preached and there was no way he could continue as leader although I do think he should have stood down years ago."