Editing Martin Smyth (section)

== Unsuccessful leadership bid==

Smyth [[September 1995 Ulster Unionist Party leadership election|ran for the leadership of the UUP]] in 1995 after [[James Molyneaux]] stood down but lost to [[David Trimble]]. He was opposed to the [[Belfast Agreement|Good Friday Agreement]] but was considered a moderate in the early 1990s.{{cn|date=October 2023}} He was condemned in 1993 by the [[Democratic Unionist Party]] for suggesting that talks with [[Sinn Féin]] might be possible.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/687810.stm Martin Smyth: A hardline challenger?] BBC News, 23 March 2000</ref> He challenged Trimble for the [[2000 Ulster Unionist Party leadership election|party leadership in 2000]] and was again unsuccessful.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/2053125.stm Rev Martin Smyth] BBC News, 21 October 2002</ref> He was unsuccessfully challenged for the UUP nomination in Belfast South by [[Michael McGimpsey]]<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/1174624.stm Smyth wins UUP selection battle] BBC News, 16 February 2001</ref> before the [[2001 United Kingdom general election|2001 general election]], and went on to hold the seat. In 2001 he was elected to the position of UUP president. In 2003, he, along with [[David Burnside]] and [[Jeffrey Donaldson]], resigned the party whip<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/3185261.stm MP warns of UUP crisis] BBC News, 27 August 2003</ref> due to disagreements over the British Irish Declaration of 2003.<ref>[http://www.4ni.co.uk/northern_ireland_news.asp?id=17757 Trimble calls emergency meeting of sundered UUP] 4NI, 25 June 2003</ref> In January 2004, Smyth and Burnside retook the UUP whip.<ref>[http://www.4ni.co.uk/northern_ireland_news.asp?id=24261 Burnside and Smyth resume UUP Whip] 4NI, 12 January 2004</ref> Later that year he lost the party presidency in the annual election at the [[Ulster Unionist Council]], polling 329 votes to [[Dennis Rogan, Baron Rogan|Lord Rogan]], who won with 407 votes.