Cyril Smith, Former Liberal Party Member of U.K. Parliament, Dies Aged 82

Cyril Smith, a former Liberal U.K. member of parliament, has died at the age of 82, the local branch of his party said today.

“Cyril had been ill for many months and passed away in his sleep,” the Rochdale Liberal Democrats said in an e-mailed statement. His funeral will take place on Sept. 13.

Smith was elected MP for his hometown of Rochdale in northern England in 1972 and held the seat until his retirement in 1992, Paul Rowen, who won the seat for the Liberal Democrats in 2005 before losing it in May’s election, said in a telephone interview.

“At a time when the Liberals weren’t recognized, he was instantly recognizable,” Rowen said. “At 6 foot 2 inches and weighing 30 stone (420 pounds, 190.5 kilograms), he was tall and wide. He was a straight-talking, no-nonsense politician. He will be greatly missed.”

To contact the reporter on this story: Colm Heatley in Belfast at cheatley@bloomberg.net

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