Background
Smith was born in the city of Stirling in the Central Belt of Scotland on 30 August 1971.
Smith was born in the city of Stirling in the Central Belt of Scotland on 30 August 1971.
Smith was educated at Balfron High School, a local comprehensive, followed by a Sixth Form Bursary to Millfield School, an independent school in the town of Street in Somerset in South West England, followed by the University of Birmingham, where he read English and History.
He was elected at the general election of 2010 with 27,685 votes (506% of the votes cast), giving him a majority of 9,950. Smith was elected as Member of Parliament for Skipton and Ripon in 2010 with a majority of 9,950, and was returned to the House of Commons in 2015 with an increased majority of 20,761. In Parliament, he served on the Scottish Affairs Committee for a brief stint in 2010, and after the 2015 General Election was appointed an Assistant Government Whip in David Cameron"s Second Ministry.
In October 2013 The Guardian alleged that Smith may have breached national security by posting an image of him alongside military personnel on his website.
Smith argued the newspaper should be investigated as it had "endangered" British security personnel by publishing leaked information.
55th United Kingdom Parliament. 56th United Kingdom Parliament.