End of Political Career and The 2005 General Election
In January 2005, Smith announced he would be stepping down from Parliament 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 James Molyneaux appeared in a photograph with Democratic Unionist Party candidate Jimmy Spratt on Spratt's election literature. Smyth denied endorsing Spratt stating:
| “ | 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. | ” |
The candidates Smyth did canvass for were David Burnside in South Antrim and Rodney McCune in North Antrim. 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 split in the vote between the two Unionist parties.
Read more about this topic: Martin Smyth
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