Royston Smith was first elected as the Conservative MP for Southampton Itchen in 2015, being reelected in 2019 with a majority of 4,498.
The constituency of Southampton Itchen is named after the River Itchen that flows through the city of Southampton. This seat contains the eastern side of Southampton and includes the city centre and the port of Southampton. The housing here is mixed ranging from the relative deprived estate at Thornhill to include luxury flats in the city’s Ocean village. Itchen is regarded as the more working class of the two Southampton seats, and a quarter of residences are socially rented. There is also a large student population in this seat which includes the campus of Southampton Solent University.
A solidly Labour seat after the Second World War, Itchen has now become one of the UK’s swing marginal seats, which Royston Smith won by just 31 votes in 2017. Southampton Itchen was held by the Conservatives between 1983 and 1992, and since 2015. Between 1992 and 2015 it was represented by the former Labour Cabinet Minister, John Denham.
Born in 1964, Royston Smith joined the RAF as an airman after leaving school. He flew as a flight engineer in Nimrod maritime patrol aircraft. Later, he worked for British Airways as an aeronautical engineer.
Royston represented Harefield Ward on Southampton City Council between 2000 and 2016. He was Leader of the Council between 2010 and 2012.
During his time as Leader of Southampton Council, Smith was on a visit to HMS Astute in 2011 when a sailor started shooting and an officer was killed. Royston Smith intervened to help apprehend the sailor, and was later awarded a George Medal for his bravery.
Smith supported Brexit in the 2016 EU referendum. He later backed Jeremy Hunt in the 2019 Conservative Party leadership election.
Email: royston.smith.mp@parliament.uk
Personal Website: http://www.roystonsmith.co.uk/
Twitter: twitter.com/Royston_Smith
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/roystonsmithsoton?fref=ts
