Oliver Richards
From Nseurope
Oliver Andrew George James Richards, 18th Duke of St Thomas (Born 2nd September 1960) is the current Prime Minister of St Thomas and a high profile politician. He is also due to his title of Duke of St Thomas, the premier noble in the country. Prior to becoming Prime Minister he served in a number of high ranking government positions and is also a former Royal Navy oficer.
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Early Life
Childhood and Education
Richards was born in Kings Hosptial, St Thomas City to George Arthur Richards, Earl of Moston (son of the 16th Duke of St Thomas) and his wife Margeret Elizabeth Richards (nee Brown) on September 2nd 1960. He spent much of his childhood living with his Grandparents in Moston Palace, it was at this time he grew very close to his grandparents. His granfathers death when he was age 13 was a shock to him.
He was educated until age 11 at home by his tutor Teresa Hallway who also taught his siblings and cousins. At age 11 he went to the pretigious Kings School in St Thomas City, the same school his father, grand father and gret grandfather attended before him. After completeting his A-Levels in 1978 he entered the nearby Kings University and gained a bachellors in law.
Navy Life
After qualifying as a barrister, encouraged by his father Richards attended the Royal Navy Officers School and gained his commission as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Royal Navy in 1984. He was posted to the MoD to serve as a millitary barrister, gaining automatic promotion to Leiutenant. He was transfered to serve as the senior legal advisor to the Commander-in-Chief (Home) in 1987 with the rank of Leiutenant-Commander.
In 1989 he moved to carry out active duties on board the destroyer HMS Llundudy as it's second in command. He was made an Acting Commander on the outbreak of the Kye Troubles in 1992 so he could take charge of the destroyer. He was involved in several important incidents during the war including a land operation against a Kye Alliance outpost in St Peters. He and his men were taken hostage on board his ship in 1993 and he refused to be one of 30 sailors allowed to leave the ship.
He was recalled to the MoD to serve in the Millitary Advocates department and was one of the prosecuting officers in the trial of the HMS Kye Mutineers. He was promoted to Captain in 1995 shortly before leaving the Royal Navy. He remains on the active role meaning in times of war he could be called up for service which he has said he would be willing to do.
Early Political Career
Entry to Parliament
Despite not being a member of the National People's Party, Lord Richards as he was styled was selected to fight the People's Party safe seat of St James Market in the 1996 General Election. It was not realised until after the election that he was not a member. He won the election however with a decreased majority for the People Party and entered parliament.
He served on the backbenches for the first two years of his career making several speaches against the Nationalist Government at the time. He was seen as a very traditional Conservative, contrary to the modern feel the Peoples Party were trying to adpot at the time. Due to this his appointment to the front bench as a Shadow Defence Minister proved to be a suprise. When Sir Clement Hall became leader in 1999 with a promise to take the party to power he was appointed to the post of Shadow Education Secretary.
Government
Richards represented the prestigous seat of Kings in the 2000 General Election which saw the Peoples Party swept to power with a supermajority in the House of Commons. He was subsequently appointed to the cabinet as Secretary of State for Education, a high ranking job for a young man like himself.
He enjoyed much sucess during his time as Education Secretary and became popular with the teachers unions after he abolished the national curriculum in favour of 'voluntary guidelines'. He is also said to have removed a lot of beurocracy from the Education system. Controrary to his traditional capitalist beliefs he promoted grants for low-income students to help them go to University and also tried to kerb the powers of the Independent schools.
