2 0 1 5 . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁Edu c ated ▁at ▁the ▁Mer chant ▁T ay l ors ' ▁School , ▁London ▁and ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Aber de en ▁( MA ), ▁he ▁was ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Social ▁Democratic ▁Party ▁before ▁its ▁mer ger ▁with ▁the ▁Liberal ▁Party ▁to ▁form ▁the ▁Liberal ▁Democr ats . ▁ ▁He ▁served ▁as ▁an ▁Aber de ens hire ▁Coun c ill or ▁and ▁Con v ener ▁of ▁the ▁Gr amp ian ▁J oint ▁Police ▁Board ▁ 1 9 9 5 – 9 7 . ▁ ▁His ▁grand father ▁represented ▁the ▁same ▁constitu ency ▁as ▁a ▁Union ist ▁from ▁ 1 9 2 4 ▁until ▁ 1 9 4 5 . ▁ ▁Parliament ary ▁career ▁Smith ▁cont ested ▁Aber de en ▁North ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 7 ▁and ▁was ▁first ▁elected ▁to ▁Parliament ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 7 . ▁He ▁was ▁the ▁Liberal ▁Dem ocrat ▁Deput y ▁Chief ▁Wh ip ▁in ▁the ▁House ▁of ▁Commons . ▁ ▁Smith ' s ▁areas ▁of ▁political ▁interest ▁include ▁energy ▁policy , ▁rural ▁issues ▁and ▁international ▁development . ▁He ▁has ▁been ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Energy ▁& ▁Cl imate ▁Change ▁Select ▁Committee ▁since ▁it ▁was ▁created ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 9 , ▁acting ▁as ▁Inter im ▁Committee ▁Chair ▁from ▁June ▁to ▁November ▁ 2 0 1 3 . ▁He ▁sat ▁on ▁the ▁International ▁Development ▁Select ▁Committee ▁from ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁to ▁ 2 0 0 9 . ▁ ▁He ▁serves ▁as ▁Honor ary ▁Vice -