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Rev Martin Smyth, a former Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) MP, has passed away at the age of 94. Serving as the grand master of the Orange Lodge during the Troubles from 1972 to 1998, Rev Smyth was hailed by the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland as a steadfast leader during challenging times. UUP leader Mike Nesbitt paid tribute to him, stating that Rev Smyth’s legacy will endure indefinitely.
A Presbyterian minister by profession, Rev Smyth transitioned into politics after being elected to Parliament in the 1982 by-election following the tragic assassination of the Rev Robert Bradford MP by the IRA. Although he ran for the UUP leadership in 1995 after Lord Molyneaux’s resignation, he finished fourth to the eventual winner, David Trimble. Nesbitt highlighted Rev Smyth’s influential role in local politics, emphasizing his significant impact both publicly and behind the scenes.
Described as a soft-spoken yet commanding figure, Rev Martin Smyth’s political career was characterized by his conservative and resolute viewpoints. Despite not being as vociferous as other politicians of his time, Rev Smyth garnered immense respect within the unionist community. As a Protestant clergyman, leader of the Orange Order, and MP for South Belfast, he did not rely on loud rhetoric to convey his message but instead let his actions speak volumes
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