Conservative Party of Georgeland
From Constructed worlds
The Conservative Party of Georgeland is the largest and oldest political party in the United Islands of Georgeland. It is the largest by far of any of Georgeland's centre-right parties. The Conservatives are usually referred to, both by themselves and others, as "The Tories".
The Conservatives currently form the Government of Georgeland, following the 2007 general election, at which the party won a majority of seats in the Georgeland House of Commons. The party's present federal leader is Luke Macaulay, MP, who has been leader since May 6, 2006 and Prime Minister of Georgeland since July 6, 2007.
At the state level, the Conservatives govern four states (Bradmarch, Scoita, West Mainland and Delmago Island) in their own right and a fifth, East Mainland, in coalition with the Georgeland Alliance.
The Conservative Party is a member of the International Democrat Union.
The party's official colour is blue, and is represented by blue on electoral maps and in electoral graphics.
| Leader | Luke Macaulay |
| Founded | 1891 |
| Headquarters | Baynes House 106 Constitution Drive Topstad, FD |
| Political ideology | Conservatism market liberalism |
| International Affiliation | International Democrat Union |
Contents |
[edit] History
Prior to about 1875, Georgeland did not have a formalised party system in its colonial Assembly. Instead, members formed into several 'factions', largely but not entirely divided around the issues of trade, independence and financial matters. The two largest of these factions came to be known as the 'liberal' and 'conservative' blocs but were largely based upon the personal leadership of individual politicians.
In 1868, Philip Cooper became Chief Minister at the head of a government drawn largely from the conservative faction, with trade policies advocating free trade. Cooper's opponents in the Assembly were largely protectionists, and the distinct two-party divide dates from roughly this period. Though Cooper is generally considered to have been a Conservative Chief Minister, he was never formally the leader of the Conservative Party as a formal organisation.
The foundation of the Conservative Party was the joint effort of Richard Manor, Cooper's protege, and Alexander Newman. Both men had come to admire the distinct partisan system present in the United States and the United Kingdom and, at the general election of 1879, led between them a united Conservative Party, with all candidates pledged to follow a united platform. The electoral rules at the time being somewhat different, the party did not have 'members' as such and candidates themselves chose to be known as Conservatives. The party won the election and chose Manor as Chief Minister, with Newman as Colonial Secretary and Treasurer (effectively Manor's deputy).
It soon followed that the non-Conservative members of the Assembly formed their own united party, the Liberal Protectionist Party, though it would be decades before they enjoyed significant political success. Just two years after coming to power the Conservative administration collapse (it did not have a full majority in the Assembly) and Manor resigned, but in 1885, under Newman, the party returned to power. One of Newman's acts as Chief Minister was to table the first Electoral Act which formally established political parties.
Though 1879 is generally given as the year the Conservative Party was founded, technically speaking it was not until the Electoral Act of 1886 that the party became formally registered and adopted its Constitution.
[edit] Modern period
[edit] Today
[edit] Image
The Tories have tried hard to shake the 'blustering' image of the 1980s and 1990s. Prime Minister Campbell Rhodes once described them as 'the party that writes angry letters to the paper'. The party has a reputation for railing against change and social ills but offering little as an alternative. Due to a series of scandals in the 1990s, the Tories have also been plagued by charges of corruption and misdemeanour, much as their British counterparts, though this attitude is changing. In recent years, the Liberal Democrats and their predecessors on the left have tried to paint the Tories as dangerous extremists, who will trample on civil liberties and abolish unions. This message resonates with many due to Tory actions in the past and key elements of the party manifesto. The influence of the Roman Catholic Church on the Conservative Party has also not helped their image, with their opponents painting them as puppets of the Church. While this message is popular with non-Catholics, it only strengthens support among Catholics. With the recent LDP infighting, however, the Conservatives have come to be seen as the inherently stable party and the party with the most discipline and consistent policies. This has won over some voters. The Conservatives have suffered also for their support of the Iraq War to oust Saddam Hussein. Though initially popular among many for this support, as the war dragged on and evidence of Weapons of Mass Destruction in Iraq evaporated, the Tories came to be seen as little more than the Georgeland mouthpiece of the Bush Administration. This image has been reinforced somewhat by Richardson's visits to Washington and meetings with George W. Bush.
[edit] Policies
The Conservatives are a party of the right-wing, or possibly centre-right depending on your definition. In general, the Tories believe in small government, a strong military, a pro-U.S. foreign policy, 'traditional family values' and increased security to combat terrorism.
[edit] Leaders
| No. | Name | Entered office | Left office | Born-died |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sir Robert Pearce | 1 July 1891 | 18 August 1903 | 13 March, 1835 - 21 September, 1912 |
| 2 | Sir Norman Calloway | 25 August 1903 | 11 March 1912 | 13 January 1843 - 4 November 1921 |
| 3 | Gregory Green | 11 March 1912 | 17 April 1919 | 15 Fetduary,1860 - 13 November, 1938 |
| 4 | David Turner | 17 April 1919 | 3 December 1921 | 4 January 1848 - 3 December 1921 |
| 5 | Frederick Eccles | 3 December 1921 | 6 October 1932 | 1 May 1851 - 6 October 1932 |
| 6 | James Gray | 6 October 1932 | 21 April 1937 | 7 July 1870 - 21 April 1937 |
| 7 | Bertram Powell | 21 April 1937 | 24 June 1938 | 21 September 1880 - 4 October 1964 |
| 8 | Harold Knight | 24 June 1938 | 19 March 1944 | 16 October 1885 - 30 September 1956 |
| 9 | Henry Baker | 19 March 1944 | 1 September 1948 | 11 November 1890 - 3 May 1977 |
| 10 | Bradford Smith | 1 September 1948 | 1 October 1953 | 5 April 1895 - 6 June 1960 |
| 11 | Stanley Baynes | 1 October 1953 | 4 August 1965 | 5 September 1903 - 17 January 1974 |
| 12 | Thomas Hunter | 4 August 1965 | 7 May 1966 | 14 Fetduary 1914 - 16 September 1983 |
| 13 | Zachary Tamworth | 7 May 1966 | 13 April 1967 | 1 December 1900 - 15 March 1995 |
| 14 | Thomas Richardson | 13 April 1967 | 10 September 1970 | 1 May 1909 - 7 July 1984 |
| 15 | Robert Fisch | 10 September 1970 | 28 December 1983 | 6 July 1929 - 17 May 1993 |
| 16 | Eric Edge | 28 December 1983 | 16 May 1987 | 9 Fetduary 1932 - |
| 17 | David O'Reilley | 16 May 1987 | 9 April 1992 | 18 June 1940 - |
| - | Eric Edge | 9 April 1992 | 20 October 1995 | 9 Fetduary 1932 - |
| 18 | Shawn Hedges | 20 October 1995 | 16 April 1997 | 17 December 1941 - |
| 19 | Michael Fisch | 16 April 1997 | 2 August 1999 | 16 March 1954 - |
| 20 | Benedict Ingram | 2 August 1999 | 23 July 2001 | 13 July 1940 - |
| 21 | Mary Byrne | 23 July 2001 | 16 October 2002 | May 15 1949 - |
| - | Michael Fisch | 16 October 2002 | October 1 2003 | 16 March 1954 - |
| 22 | Sam Richardson | October 1 2003 | 16 April 2006 | 3 January 1951 - 16 April 2006 |
| 23 | Luke Macaulay | 16 April 2006 | Incumbent | May 16 1963 - |
[edit] Deputy Leaders
The position of deputy leader dates only from 1966, when the party constitution was changed to allow the existence of an official deputy leader. Prior to this, individual members of the parliamentary party had been considered as unofficial deputies in government or opposition, or had been designated as the "number two" person in the Cabinet or Shadow Cabinet, but held no official party position as such.
[edit] Prior to 1966
The following people were considered as de facto deputies to the Conservative leader.
| No. | Name | Entered office | Left office | Born-died |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| - | Edward Hollows | c. 1891 | c. 1894 | 15 March 1840 - 7 December 1911 |
| - | Norman Calloway | c. 1898 | c. 1903 | 27 October 1847 - 11 January 1915 |
| - | John Frost | c. 1903 | c. 1910 | 6 October 1855 - 18 December 1942 |
| - | Frederick Eccles | c. 1915 | 3 December 1921 | May 1 1857 - 6 October 1932 |
| - | James Gray | c. 1924 | 6 October 1932 | 7 July 1870 - 21 April 1937 |
| - | Harold Knight | c. 1934 | 24 June 1938 | 16 May 1881 - 19 March 1966 |
| - | Henry Baker | c. 1940 | 19 March 1944 | 19 October 1888 - 2 February 1956 |
| - | Stanley Baynes | c. 1950 | 1 October 1953 | 5 September 1903 - 17 January 1974 |
| - | Jack Grady | 1 October 1953 | 17 April 1960 | 10 March 1909 - 17 April 1960 |
| - | Arthur Leyton | c. 1962 | 3 July 1966 | 1 June 1898 - 15 May 1973 |
[edit] Since 1966
| No. | Name | Entered office | Left office | Born-died |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | James McKinney | 3 July 1966 | 1 March 1970 | 19 August 1910 - 17 October 1990 |
| 2 | George Prentice | 1 March 1970 | 23 January 1975 | 20 May 1922 - |
| 3 | John Staples | 23 January 1975 | 14 April 1979 | 10 September 1930 - |
| 4 | Gordon Freeman | 14 April 1979 | 16 July 1982 | 18 December 1933 - |
| 5 | Frank Kearney | 16 July 1982 | 28 December 1983 | 17 April 1934 - 17 August 2007 |
| - | John Staples | 28 December 1983 | 1 October 1987 | 10 September 1930 - |
| 6 | Peter Briers | 1 October 1987 | 16 May 1990 | 23 June 1938 - |
| 7 | Shawn Hedges | 16 May 1990 | 20 October 1995 | 17 December 1941 - |
| 8 | Matthew Tulley | 20 October 1995 | 16 April 1997 | 6 January 1942 - |
| 9 | David Shore | 16 April 1997 | 19 March 2000 | 20 November 1948 - |
| 10 | Peter Cranbourne | 19 March 2000 | 23 July 2001 | 7 May 1951 - |
| 11 | Nick Sheridan | 23 July 2001 | 19 October 2004 | 15 May 1961 - |
| 12 | Luke Macaulay | 19 October 2004 | 6 May 2006 | 16 May 1963 - |
| 13 | Martin Higgins | 6 May 2006 | Incumbent | 6 May 1949 - |
