Reginald Wilton-Smyth: Difference between revisions

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Following his graduation, Wilton-Smyth was conscripted into the [[Estmerish Defence Force]], in order to complete his {{wp|national service}}. He trained for a year with the [[Estmerish Army]], hoping to join the [[Independent Companies]], but was eventually allocated to the [[Estmerish Army|2nd Flurian Rifles]], beginning his active service in 1967.
Following his graduation, Wilton-Smyth was conscripted into the [[Estmerish Defence Force]], in order to complete his {{wp|national service}}. He trained for a year with the [[Estmerish Army]], hoping to join the [[Independent Companies]], but was eventually allocated to the [[Estmerish Army|2nd Flurian Rifles]], beginning his active service in 1967.


Wilton-Smyth hoped to be deployed to an acive front - Estmere was involved in the ongoing [[Siamt War]] at the time, and the [[Rahelian War]] had begun a few years prior to his conscription - but his regiment was instead assigned to the [[Estmerish Army|Estmerish Army of the Reine]] as part of the ongoing Estmerish policing and peacekeeping mission in [[Gaullica]]. It has been suspected that this was arranged through his family's influence. Wilton-Smyth completed his national service in 1969.
Wilton-Smyth hoped to be deployed to an active front - Estmere was involved in the ongoing [[Siamt War]] at the time, and the [[Rahelian War]] had begun a few years prior to his conscription - but his regiment was instead assigned to the [[Estmerish Army|Estmerish Army of the Reine]] as part of the ongoing Estmerish policing and peacekeeping mission in [[Gaullica]]. It has been suspected that this was arranged through his family's influence. Wilton-Smyth completed his national service in 1969.


After returning from national service, Wilton-Smyth returned to Damesbridge University, graduating with a {{wp|Master of Science}} degree in Advanced Economic Policy in 1971.
After returning from national service, Wilton-Smyth returned to Damesbridge University, graduating with a {{wp|Master of Science}} degree in Advanced Economic Policy in 1971.

Revision as of 22:51, 23 December 2020

Reginald Wilton-Smyth
Official portrait of Mr David Davis crop 2.jpg
Wilton-Smyth in 2016
Prime Minister of Estmere
Assumed office
23 April 2018
PresidentAlice Roberts
DeputyEsther Bennett
Preceded byRichard Graham
Leader of the Sotirian Democratic Union
Assumed office
23 April 2018
DeputyJulie Burton
Preceded byRichard Graham
Secretary of State for Transport
In office
5 January 2016 – 23 April 2018
PresidentAlice Roberts
Prime MinisterRichard Graham
Preceded byDavid Henderson
Succeeded byBrian Davison
Chief Secretary to the Treasury
In office
11 February 2013 – 5 January 2016
PresidentAlice Roberts
Prime MinisterMatthew Dawson
Alan Baskerville
Richard Graham
Preceded byMichael Harrington
Succeeded byEmily Marrow-Gates
Member of Parliament
for Newchurch and Harrendole
Assumed office
16 June 1996
Preceded byHarold Hart
Personal details
Born
Reginald Louis Wilton-Smyth

(1944-03-03) March 3, 1944 (age 80)
Wimney, Flurland, Estmere
CitizenshipEstmere
Political partySotirian Democratic Union
Spouses
Children3
ParentExpression error: Unrecognized punctuation character "[".
Alma materKing Richard's College, Damesbridge University
ProfessionEconomist
Military service
Allegiance Estmere
Branch/serviceEstmerish Army
Years of service1967-1969
Unit2nd Flurian Rifles

Reginald Louis Wilton-Smyth (born 3 March 1944) is an Estmerish politician and economist who has served as the Prime Minister of Estmere and Leader of the Sotirian Democratic Union since 23 April 2018. He served as Secretary of State for Transport from 2016 to 2018, and as Chief Secretary to the Treasury from 2013 to 2016. He is the Member of Parliament for Newchurch and Harrendole. He has been described as a right-wing populist, but identifies as a classical liberal.

Wilton-Smyth was born in Wimney to Flurian parents from the influential Wilton-Smyth family. He studied at Damesbridge Univeristy, graduating from King Richard's College in 1966 with a Bachelor of Science in Economics. After graduating he completed his national service, serving as part of the 2nd Flurian Rifles regiment of the Estmerish Army. In 1971 he then completed a Master of Science degree in Advanced Economic Policy at his alma mater. He secured a job with the Bank of Estmere after attaining his Master's degree, and worked at the Bank as a junior advisor from 1973. In 1978 he was headhunted by Isaac Mosset, and began working for the federal government as a senior advisor. From 1980 to 1987 he worked as a financial advisor in the private sector.

He entered politics in earnest in the run-up to the 1988 election, becoming a full-time finance policy advisor to the Sotirian Democratic Union. He was a parliamentary candidate in a number of elections, but was first elected to the Chamber of Commons in the 1996 election. He was a backbencher until 2011, when he became a secretary to the Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury, after the 2012 election this became a ministerial position. In Matthew Dawson's 2013 cabinet reshuffle he was appointed as Chief Secretary to the Treasury. In 2016 he was promoted by Richard Graham to Secretary of State for Transport.

Wilton-Smyth was elected to succeed Richard Graham in the 2018 leadership election, and became Leader of the SDU and Prime Minister. His tenure has been controversial, marked by a rightwards shift of the SDU, embracing right-wing populist policies, emulating the NKP and the Tribunes. His foreign policy direction has been described as neoconservative. He led his party to victory in the 2018 snap election, continuing his coalition with the Reform Party.

Early life

Wilton-Smyth was born in 1944, near the city of Wimney, in Flurland, at the manor of the Wilton-Smyth family. Wilton-Smyth was the fifth of six children. His father was the George Wilton-Smyth, a former baron and a veteran of the Great War. His father lost his title when Estmere became a republic in 1936, and as a result married his mother, Annabelle Coullier, the daughter of a wealthy member of the nouveau riche. Wilton-Smyth was largely raised at the family manor, but often visited his grandmother in Morwall. Wilton-Smyth was brought up in an Embro-Catholic Communion household.

Education

Wilton-Smyth attended the grammar school closest to his family manor - the Wimney Grammar School - after passing the entrance exam. According to report cards, his teachers considered him to be intelligent, but prone to distraction, lacking in concetration and to be constantly fidgeting. This led his biographer to conclude that Wilton-Smyth might have undiagnised attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, though Wilton-Smyth himself has denied this.

He then attended the prestigious Damesbridge University, where he was accepted into King Richard's College, coincidentally the alma mater of his grandfather. He focused his studies at Damesbridge on Economics, and concerned himself with the economic consensus that had settled across Euclea at the time. In his writings, he criticised the dominant Knowlesby school of thought, instead arguing that manipulation of the monetary supply should be core to modern economic theory. At University Wilton-Smyth was not particularly active in politics, though he was a member of a number of social societies.

Wilton-Smyth graduated from Damesbridge in 1966 with a first class Bachelor of Science in Economics.

National service

Following his graduation, Wilton-Smyth was conscripted into the Estmerish Defence Force, in order to complete his national service. He trained for a year with the Estmerish Army, hoping to join the Independent Companies, but was eventually allocated to the 2nd Flurian Rifles, beginning his active service in 1967.

Wilton-Smyth hoped to be deployed to an active front - Estmere was involved in the ongoing Siamt War at the time, and the Rahelian War had begun a few years prior to his conscription - but his regiment was instead assigned to the Estmerish Army of the Reine as part of the ongoing Estmerish policing and peacekeeping mission in Gaullica. It has been suspected that this was arranged through his family's influence. Wilton-Smyth completed his national service in 1969.

After returning from national service, Wilton-Smyth returned to Damesbridge University, graduating with a Master of Science degree in Advanced Economic Policy in 1971.

Career

Financial career

Public sector

After graduating with his master's degree Wilton-Smyth was hired by the Bank of Estmere in 1973, and he began working for them as a junior advisor.

After the Sotirian Democratic Union returned to government in 1976 following 9 years of opposition, Wilton-Smyth was headhunted by Prime Minister Isaac Mosset, who recruited him into the SDU in earnest and hired him to work for the federal government as a senior economic advisor specialising in monetary policy. Wilton-Smyth worked closely with Mosset's other advisors in an attempt to shift Estmere toward a more monetarist economic orthodoxy.

Private sector

When Michael Lowe replaced Mosset as Prime Minister, Wilton-Smyth left the federal government and began working in the private sector, generally in the Riverside financial district. He began work as a freelancer, but was soon hired in 1981 as a junior financial advisor by the Estmerish branch of Bain & Walsh.

He worked in the private sector until 1987.

Political career

Backbencher

Cabinet Minister

Prime Minister

Political views

Wilton-Smyth has been seen as a close ally of von Hößlin, and the two share many political positions.

Wilton-Smyth identifies as a classical liberal, but has been described by most commentators as a right-wing populist. His views on macroeconomic policy have been variously described as monetarist, neo-classical or Kotzauberg School, though Wilton-Smyth describes himself as "an orthodox economist". He cites James Shepherd as his personal hero. He has endorsed some socially conservative positions, such as gender essentialism, but supported same-sex marriage.

He is seen as a strong supporter of the Alte Bruderschaft; the close cultural, political and economic relationship with Estmere shares with Werania. He described Werania as "the first among equals of Estmere's allies", and shares a close personal relation with Otto von Hößlin, the incumbent Chancellor of Werania. Wilton-Smyth is also seen to support a warming of relations with Etruria, again sharing a close relationship with President of Etruria Francesco Carcaterra.

Wilton-Smyth has expressed some Euclosceptic views, in particular toward further integration of the Euclean Community. He has praised the single market for "the obvious contribution towards economic activity" that it makes, but he has at times criticised the Euclean Central Bank, having said that Estmere's adoption of the Euclo has left the Bank of Estmere unable to manipulate monetary policy as effectively as it was able to before. Despite this, he has said that leaving the Euclozone is "not his priority", and that he would prefer instead for Estmere to have greater influence over the ECB. He has expressed some misgivings about the Zilverzee area and the freedom of movement it allows for, stating that it has "deprived Estmere of an adequate immigration policy".

Personal life

Wilton-Smyth married his first wife, Margaret Palmerstone, in 1972 after completing his national service. They met while Wilton-Smyth was studying at Damesbridge University, and became engaged before he was conscripted. The couple had two children, and divorced in 2002, citing irreconcilable differences. It is claimed by Palmerstone that Wilton-Smyth was engaged in a relationship with his secretary in the last years of their marriage, though Wilton-Smyth denies this.

Wilton-Smyth met his second wife, Anna FitzGerald, at a SDU party conference in 2006. The two became engaged in 2009, and the couple married in 2011. Wilton-Smyth had his third child, with Anna, in 2013.

He is a fan of horse racing and golf. He is a shareholder of a golf club in Longwoodshire.

Wilton-Smyth was brought up in an Embrian Communion household, as a member of an Embro-Catholic High Church. He said that "his faith wavered" during his university years, but that he was now a regularly-practising Sotirian, though he now attends a Low Church which is Kasperist.