Geoffrey Stewart-Smith
Encyclopedia
Geoffrey Stewart-Smith (28 December 1933 – 13 March 2004) was a British
politician
. He served one term as Conservative
Member of Parliament
(MP) for Belper
in Derbyshire
after he defeated the Deputy Leader of the Labour Party
George Brown
. In Parliament and outside it he was a fervent anti-Communist, and a leading member of the Conservative Monday Club
.
and the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
. He subsequently served as an officer in the Black Watch
regiment (1952-1960), including time in Nigeria
and Germany
. His marriage in 1956 ended in divorce in 1990. There were three sons of the marriage.
, in order to "counter subversion". The following year, he became an advisor to British Military Volunteer Forces, a group who had planned to send at least a battalion of British volunteers to fight with the Americans in the Vietnam War
. Stewart-Smith had lengthy discussions with Colonel Frederick Lash, the US Military Attaché in London on this issue. The British government, however, opposed the plan.
In 1967, he organised an interdenominational service at the Royal Albert Hall
to commemorate all those who had died at the hands of communists. His estimate was that the total was then about 95 million, and was printed on the back of the programme of service. More than 4,500 refugees from behind the Iron Curtain
attended the service. He was disappointed that only two MPs and two Peers attended, and said that was "typical".
, which published the anti-Soviet East-West Digest, a fortnightly publication sent free of charge to all MP's.
Stewart-Smith later founded the Foreign Affairs Publishing Company, which continued East-West Digest, and published works from the British Right, such as Brian Crozier
. It also distributed publications from British anti Union groups, such as Aims for Industry, Common Cause, the Economic League
and IRIS.
encroaching on the seat. At the 1970 general election
he sensationally ousted George Brown
by 2,000 votes.
Regarded as a good constituency MP by fellow members, Stewart-Smith demanded that Edward Heath
's government raise their pay offer to miners
during the crippling strike. He also attacked Margaret Thatcher
on the end of school milk during the same administration. However, his work was not enough to prevent him losing his seat in the February 1974 general election
after boundary changes removed a large area of Conservative strength and the national trend favoured Labour.
from 1968. He was a City of London
Liveryman, belonging to the Grocers' Company.
In 1974, he sought to distance his Foreign Affairs Circle from the World Anti-Communist League
because of the WACL's perceived strong anti-Semitic
element, saying: "We wouldn't touch them with a barge pole." However, he later admitted that another of his organisations, the Foreign Affairs Research Institute, had been mainly funded by the South Africa
n government. In 1978 he issued a press statement about what he claimed was the growing number of ex-communists and left-wing extremists in the Labour Party.
Stewart-Smith was a leading activist in the Conservative Monday Club
and in 1966 was chairman of its foreign affairs study group. In March 1975, he was one of the principal speakers at the Club's successful two-day Conference in Birmingham
, the theme of which was "The Conservative Party and the Crisis in Britain". In later life, Stewart-Smith suffered financial trouble and in 1990 he was evicted from his flat for non-payment of rent.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
. He served one term as Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(MP) for Belper
Belper (UK Parliament constituency)
Belper is a former constituency in the UK Parliament. It was created at the 1918 general election as a county division of Derbyshire, comprising the area in the centre of the county and surrounding Derby, and named after the market town of Belper although this was in the north of the constituency....
in Derbyshire
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...
after he defeated the Deputy Leader of the Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
George Brown
George Brown, Baron George-Brown
George Alfred Brown, Baron George-Brown, PC was a British Labour politician, who served as the Deputy Leader of the Labour Party from 1960 to 1970, and served in a number of positions in the Cabinet, most notably as Foreign Secretary, in the Labour Government of the 1960s...
. In Parliament and outside it he was a fervent anti-Communist, and a leading member of the Conservative Monday Club
Conservative Monday Club
The Conservative Monday Club is a British pressure group "on the right-wing" of the Conservative Party.-Overview:...
.
Family
The son of Dudley Cautley Stewart-Smith, Geoffrey Stewart-Smith was educated at Winchester CollegeWinchester College
Winchester College is an independent school for boys in the British public school tradition, situated in Winchester, Hampshire, the former capital of England. It has existed in its present location for over 600 years and claims the longest unbroken history of any school in England...
and the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst , commonly known simply as Sandhurst, is a British Army officer initial training centre located in Sandhurst, Berkshire, England...
. He subsequently served as an officer in the Black Watch
Black Watch
The Black Watch, 3rd Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland is an infantry battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland. The unit's traditional colours were retired in 2011 in a ceremony led by Queen Elizabeth II....
regiment (1952-1960), including time in Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
and Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. His marriage in 1956 ended in divorce in 1990. There were three sons of the marriage.
Entry into politics
During the 1960s, Stewart-Smith was active in anti-communist circles. He was also a supporter of Edward Martells's Freedom Group and worked on The New Daily. Apart from his numerous publications, in 1965, he recommended a form of recreation of the wartime Political Warfare Executive and the Special Operations ExecutiveSpecial Operations Executive
The Special Operations Executive was a World War II organisation of the United Kingdom. It was officially formed by Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Minister of Economic Warfare Hugh Dalton on 22 July 1940, to conduct guerrilla warfare against the Axis powers and to instruct and aid local...
, in order to "counter subversion". The following year, he became an advisor to British Military Volunteer Forces, a group who had planned to send at least a battalion of British volunteers to fight with the Americans in the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
. Stewart-Smith had lengthy discussions with Colonel Frederick Lash, the US Military Attaché in London on this issue. The British government, however, opposed the plan.
In 1967, he organised an interdenominational service at the Royal Albert Hall
Royal Albert Hall
The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall situated on the northern edge of the South Kensington area, in the City of Westminster, London, England, best known for holding the annual summer Proms concerts since 1941....
to commemorate all those who had died at the hands of communists. His estimate was that the total was then about 95 million, and was printed on the back of the programme of service. More than 4,500 refugees from behind the Iron Curtain
Iron Curtain
The concept of the Iron Curtain symbolized the ideological fighting and physical boundary dividing Europe into two separate areas from the end of World War II in 1945 until the end of the Cold War in 1989...
attended the service. He was disappointed that only two MPs and two Peers attended, and said that was "typical".
Publications
In 1962, Stewart-Smith founded the Foreign Affairs Circle, the British section of the World Anti-Communist LeagueWorld Anti-Communist League
The World League for Freedom and Democracy is an international anti-communist political organization founded in 1966 in Taipei, Republic of China , under the initiative of Chiang Kai-shek. It was founded with the aim of opposing Communism around the world through "unconventional" methods...
, which published the anti-Soviet East-West Digest, a fortnightly publication sent free of charge to all MP's.
Stewart-Smith later founded the Foreign Affairs Publishing Company, which continued East-West Digest, and published works from the British Right, such as Brian Crozier
Brian Crozier
Brian Rossiter Crozier is a British-based historian, strategist and journalist.Crozier was born in Australia, although he was raised in France, learning French. Thereafter his family moved to England where he would receive a scholarship to study piano and musical composition at the Trinity College...
. It also distributed publications from British anti Union groups, such as Aims for Industry, Common Cause, the Economic League
Economic League (UK)
The Economic League was an organisation in the United Kingdom dedicated to opposing what they saw as subversion and action against free enterprise....
and IRIS.
Parliamentary activity
Stewart-Smith was selected as the Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Belper in 1966, and spent four years actively campaigning in the constituency to build up his profile. The constituency had been held by the Labour Party, but their hold grew increasingly tenuous, with prosperous suburbs of DerbyDerby
Derby , is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands region of England. It lies upon the banks of the River Derwent and is located in the south of the ceremonial county of Derbyshire. In the 2001 census, the population of the city was 233,700, whilst that of the Derby Urban Area was 229,407...
encroaching on the seat. At the 1970 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1970
The United Kingdom general election of 1970 was held on 18 June 1970, and resulted in a surprise victory for the Conservative Party under leader Edward Heath, who defeated the Labour Party under Harold Wilson. The election also saw the Liberal Party and its new leader Jeremy Thorpe lose half their...
he sensationally ousted George Brown
George Brown, Baron George-Brown
George Alfred Brown, Baron George-Brown, PC was a British Labour politician, who served as the Deputy Leader of the Labour Party from 1960 to 1970, and served in a number of positions in the Cabinet, most notably as Foreign Secretary, in the Labour Government of the 1960s...
by 2,000 votes.
Regarded as a good constituency MP by fellow members, Stewart-Smith demanded that Edward Heath
Edward Heath
Sir Edward Richard George "Ted" Heath, KG, MBE, PC was a British Conservative politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and as Leader of the Conservative Party ....
's government raise their pay offer to miners
Coal mining
The goal of coal mining is to obtain coal from the ground. Coal is valued for its energy content, and since the 1880s has been widely used to generate electricity. Steel and cement industries use coal as a fuel for extraction of iron from iron ore and for cement production. In the United States,...
during the crippling strike. He also attacked Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990...
on the end of school milk during the same administration. However, his work was not enough to prevent him losing his seat in the February 1974 general election
United Kingdom general election, February 1974
The United Kingdom's general election of February 1974 was held on the 28th of that month. It was the first of two United Kingdom general elections held that year, and the first election since the Second World War not to produce an overall majority in the House of Commons for the winning party,...
after boundary changes removed a large area of Conservative strength and the national trend favoured Labour.
After Parliament
Stewart-Smith decided not to seek re-adoption but to concentrate on publishing anti-communist literature, mainly through the Foreign Affairs Publishing Company, of which he was a Director. The company lasted until it went into liquidation in 1986. He was Director of the Foreign Affairs Research Institute from 1976 to 1986, and Director of the Foreign Affairs Circle, and the Freedom Communications International News Agency. He was editor of the East-West Digest, and a regular columnist in the Financial TimesFinancial Times
The Financial Times is an international business newspaper. It is a morning daily newspaper published in London and printed in 24 cities around the world. Its primary rival is the Wall Street Journal, published in New York City....
from 1968. He was a City of London
City of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
Liveryman, belonging to the Grocers' Company.
In 1974, he sought to distance his Foreign Affairs Circle from the World Anti-Communist League
World Anti-Communist League
The World League for Freedom and Democracy is an international anti-communist political organization founded in 1966 in Taipei, Republic of China , under the initiative of Chiang Kai-shek. It was founded with the aim of opposing Communism around the world through "unconventional" methods...
because of the WACL's perceived strong anti-Semitic
Anti-Semitism
Antisemitism is suspicion of, hatred toward, or discrimination against Jews for reasons connected to their Jewish heritage. According to a 2005 U.S...
element, saying: "We wouldn't touch them with a barge pole." However, he later admitted that another of his organisations, the Foreign Affairs Research Institute, had been mainly funded by the South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n government. In 1978 he issued a press statement about what he claimed was the growing number of ex-communists and left-wing extremists in the Labour Party.
Stewart-Smith was a leading activist in the Conservative Monday Club
Conservative Monday Club
The Conservative Monday Club is a British pressure group "on the right-wing" of the Conservative Party.-Overview:...
and in 1966 was chairman of its foreign affairs study group. In March 1975, he was one of the principal speakers at the Club's successful two-day Conference in Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, the theme of which was "The Conservative Party and the Crisis in Britain". In later life, Stewart-Smith suffered financial trouble and in 1990 he was evicted from his flat for non-payment of rent.
Publications
- The Defeat of Communism (Preface by Salvador de Madariaga) (Foreign Affairs Publishing Co.,(FAPC), Petersham, Surrey, 1964)
- No Vision Here (Foreword by the Right HonourableThe Right HonourableThe Right Honourable is an honorific prefix that is traditionally applied to certain people in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the Anglophone Caribbean and other Commonwealth Realms, and occasionally elsewhere...
Julian Amery, M.P.) (FAPC, Petersham, Surrey, 1966) - Brandt and the Destruction of NATO (Petersham, 1973)
- The Hidden Face of the Labour Party (Petersham, 1978)
- The Struggle for Freedom (Petersham, 1980)
- East West Digest - Journal of the Foreign Affairs Circle (Monthly) (FAPC), published throughout the 1960s and 1970s.