Julian Smith (politician)

Julian Richard Smith (born 30 August 1971) is the Conservative Member of Parliament (MP) for the constituency of Skipton and Ripon. He was elected at the general election of 2010 with 27,685 votes (50.6% of the votes cast), giving him a majority of 9,950.

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.

Smith was elected as MP 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 was Parliamentary Private Secretary to Sir Alan Duncan MP, Minister of State for International Development, from September 2010 to 2012. Smith was subsequently Parliamentary Private Secretary to Justine Greening MP, Secretary of State for International Development, from 2012 to May 2015. After the 2015 General Election Smith was appointed an Assistant Government Whip in David Cameron's Second Ministry.

Following the United Kingdom European Union membership referendum on 23 June, Smith was one of six MPs who led the Parliamentary leadership campaign on behalf of the then Home Secretary, Theresa May. May became Prime Minister on 13 July 2016 and four days later Smith was appointed Vice-Chamberlain of the Household, a senior position within the Government Whips' Office.

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 had previously asked questions in Parliament about whether The Guardian's handling of intelligence material leaked by Edward Snowden had breached national security, and reported the newspaper to the police. Smith argued the newspaper should be investigated as it had "endangered" British security personnel by publishing leaked information.

Smith was opposed to Brexit prior to the 2016 referendum.