Royston Smith (politician)
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Royston Smith MP |
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| Member of Parliament for Southampton Itchen |
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Assumed office 8 May 2015 |
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| Preceded by | John Denham |
| Majority | 2,316 (5.2%) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 13 May 1964 |
| Political party | Conservative |
| Website | Official website |
Royston Matthew SmithGM is an English Conservative Party politician. He has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Southampton, Itchen since winning the seat at the 2015 general election.
He was a ground engineer in the Royal Air Force (RAF) for ten years, flying as a ground and flight engineer in Nimrod maritime patrol aircraft. He subsequently worked for British Airways.
In April 2011, Smith conducted a civic tour of the submarine HMS Astute as leader of Southampton City Council when a sailor ran amok and started shooting, killing an officer. Smith tackled the gunman and brought him down so that he could be restrained and disarmed.
We were in the control room when someone entered and there was an exchange of words. He [the gunman] stepped out with another man and two shots were fired and then he entered the control room again and began shooting again... He had a magazine with 30 rounds in it so I took the view that someone had to stop him. I pushed him against the wall and we wrestled, then I pushed him into another wall which resulted in him going to the ground and I managed to get the weapon from him and threw it aside under a table. I shouted for someone to help as I held him down and my chief executive was the first to come, and he did a remarkable job of restraining him.
For this act of bravery, he was awarded the George Medal by the Queen.
Smith had represented Harefield Ward on Southampton City Council since 2000, which he had formerly led.
He first contested the Itchen seat at the 2010 general election, being defeated by Labour's John Denham by only 192 votes. Smith was elected at the 2015 general election with a majority of 2,316 votes.
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