Royston Smith

Royston Smith is the Conservative MP for Southampton Itchen. Prior to launching his career in politics, Smith served in the Royal Air Force for a decade as a ground and flight engineer. He then went on to work as an aeronautical engineer at British Airways, holding the post for 16 years. In 2011, Smith was awarded the George Medal by the Queen for the bravery he showed during a shooting onboard the submarine HMS Astute, in which he was able to overpower, restrain and disarm a gunman. His involvement in politics dates back to the 1990s, where he was part of the short-lived, eurosceptic Referendum party founded by James Goldsmith. Leaving the Referendum party after the 1997 general election, Smith became a member of the Conservatives, and then began his formal entrance into politics, being elected for the Bitterne ward on Southampton City Council in 2000. Smith was first elected to parliament in 2015. In February of 2016, The Independent named him the “least active” of MPs elected in 2015; however since then he has served on a number of committees and is currently on the Foreign Affairs Committee.