Augustus Wester
His Highness Augustus Wester | |
|---|---|
| File:Official portrait of Augustus Wester.jpg | |
| Lord Councillor of Eroea | |
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In office 28 August 4038 – 5 August 4072 | |
| Monarch | |
| Deputy | Vernon Wester |
| Preceded by | Sean Chandler |
| Succeeded by | Vernon Wester |
| Shadow First Minister | |
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In office 12 May 4036 – 28 August 4038 | |
| Preceded by | C. G. Wester |
| Succeeded by | Jo Frank |
| High Commissioner of the Treasury | |
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In office 1 September 4038 – 17 February 4040 | |
| Preceded by | The Baron of Pengarton |
| Succeeded by | Wilfred Gunning |
| Leader of the Conservative Noble Party | |
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In office 11 May 4036 – 1 August 4072 | |
| Preceded by | C. G. Wester |
| Succeeded by | Vernon Wester |
| Deputy Leader of the Conservative Noble Party | |
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In office 12 October 4033 – 11 May 4036 | |
| Preceded by | Office established |
| Succeeded by | Archibald Gartland |
| Shadow Minister for External Affairs | |
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In office 3 September 4033 – 12 May 4036 | |
| Preceded by | Sean Dillon |
| Succeeded by | Ingrid Tebbitt |
| Shadow Minister for Defence | |
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In office 8 October 4031 – 3 September 4033 | |
| Preceded by | Jonathan Dawson |
| Succeeded by | Norman Wester |
| Shadow Minister for Energy and Natural Resources | |
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In office 14 January 4029 – 8 October 4031 | |
| Preceded by | Petrov Smith |
| Succeeded by | Caesar Augustus Jarke |
| Ministerial Secretary for Telecommunications | |
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In office 23 December 4024 – 14 January 4029 | |
| Preceded by | Timothy Brennan |
| Succeeded by | Willam Benn |
| Inferior Notary of the Inner Council | |
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In office 29 June 4022 – 26 July 4024 | |
| Preceded by | John Clarke |
| Succeeded by | Mariam Benedita |
| Councillor of Parliament for Westerdom Central | |
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In office 21 December 4024 – 17 May 4076 | |
| Preceded by | Andrew Delayney |
| Succeeded by | Andrea Kawley |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Augustine Numerius Darian Wester 16 February 3997 Westerdom, Westerlands, Eroea |
| Died |
30 September 4090 Wester Royal Hospital, Westerdom, Westerlands |
| Political party | Conservative Noble Party |
| Mother | Lady Ingrid Xao |
| Father | Lord Augustine Wester |
| Relatives |
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Augustine Numerius Darian Wester (16 February 3997 – 30 September 4090) was an Eroean statesman and businessman who served as Lord Councillor from 4038 until 4072. He served as a Councillor of Parliament for Westerdom Central from 4024 until his retirement in 4077. His continuous term as Lord Councillor for nearly 34 years remains one of the longest tenures in Eroean history. Wester led the Conservative Noble Party to government for the first time since Peregrine Wester and he is considered the founding father of the modern ideology of the Conservatives and their current form, the Imperial Party.
Born in Westerdom, Wester was the son of Augustine Wester, Lord Primate of the Westerlands, and Ingrid Xao, Lady of the West. As the eldest, Wester was expected to inherit the Primacy of the Westerlands and for his earlier years, he followed the same regiment as his forefathers before him. He attended the Western Institute for Young Men and was tutored in history, politics, classics, elocution and oratory. In 4014, he entered Henry Ullman University in Faedor, where he studied law and political science. He graduated in 4018 with first-class honours and entered into the private sector working as a professional services consultant. During college, he developed an astute political ability and he soon recognised his role in life was not to court the crown as a provincial lord, but instead become a politician. By the turn of the 4020s, Wester was serving on the executive board of the Conservative Noble Party as a youth officer and was identified as a potential election candidate by then Conservative leader, Morgan Weatherfield. In June 4022, Wester was appointed as Inferior Notary of the Inner Council, a sinecure often used to appoint private secretaries to the Lord Councillor. Here, Wester exercised great control over the affairs of Jeremy Smith, the Lord Councillor of the day. Wester claims that he gained the majority of his political knowledge while being Smith's private secretary. He served in the role until 26 July 4024, indicating he wished to stand at the next election.
Wester replaced Andrew Delayney on the Conservative ticket for Westerdom Central at the 4024 election; he was successful in his bid, albeit with a reduced majority compared to Delayney's vote. On the same day, Wester renounced his claim to the Primacy of the Westerlands, which passed to his brother, Vernon. Given his considerable intellect and wit, Wester was immediately appointed to the Shadow Cabinet as a junior minister within the Department of Communications. Over the course of Wester's first term, Weatherfield was ousted from office and replaced by Cecil Gerald Wester, a distant relation of Augustus. Under Cecil Gerald Wester, Augustus would serve as Shadow Minister for Energy and Natural Resources, Shadow Minister for Defence and Shadow Minister for the Treasury and Finance. He was appointed as Deputy Leader of the Conservative Noble Party in the aftermath of the 4033 election. Despite Wester's private charisma, he struggled to orate well in the House of Councillors and this hampered his leadership ambitions. At the 4035 Conservative Conference, Wester made what would be considered one of his finest speeches on the emergence of a new political generation. Sean Chandler, who had replaced Jeremy Smith as Lord Councillor before the end of the 4020s, was regarded as old and out of touch, having initially began his first term in the previous century. The Conservatives continued to decline in the polls however and C. G. Wester resigned as party leader in April 4036 in the wake of a backbench rebellion. At the subsequent leader contest, Wester cruised to victory and was appointed as Leader of the Conservative Noble Party in May 4036.
By now, Wester had been joined by his brother, Vernon, and the two were considered a political duo. The Conservatives capitalised on the synergy of the Wester brothers and it was evident that the two would be heads of government together if they won the next general election. Economic prosperity was on the decline at the time and the cost of living was also increasing dramatically. The Conservatives published a manifesto for the 4038 election advertising a new frontier for the younger generation. This messaging proved effective, resonating with younger voters, with the Conservatives gaining their largest ever share of the youth vote and successfully entering government in 4038. Wanting to take a more direct role of financial affairs at the beginning, Wester appointed himself as High Commissioner of the Treasury, working alongside Archibald Gartland in the Department of the Treasury and Finance. A competitive and divisive relationship between the two emerged and Wester stepped down as High Commissioner of the Treasury in 4040. The premiership of Augustus Wester saw huge economic growth and popularity not experienced by the Conservatives for decades. Wester's tenure was also notable for the two assassination attempts made on his life, in 4045 and 4061 respectively. Wester would serve actively as Lord Councillor from 4038 until 4070, when he became increasingly ill and unable to carry out his duties. He elevated his brother to Deputy Lord Councillor and appointed then Conservative member and future Royal Democrat Lord Councillor, Arthur Hermang, to the position of First Minister. Despite his ill-health, Wester refused to resign and secret requests by various Crown Ministers to have him dismissed by the monarch were ignored.
Wester accepted his defeat in 4072 and resigned as party leader on 1 August 4072, resigning as Lord Councillor four days later. By then, he had only attended Humble Questions on 12 occasions since 4070 and his duties as Lord Councillor were increasingly split between his brother and Hermang. After his resgination, Wester remained a Councillor but he returned only to the House to vote for his brother as Lord Councillor after the 4072 election. Wester was declared senile with dementia by family doctors in 4080, unable to live on his own, he was bedbound at his niece's house for the remaining decade of his life; he had voluntarily resigned as a Councillor after his diagnosis on 17 May 4076. Many political critics admonished the fact that he had resigned, believing that his tenure was cut short due to misfortune. His legacy has been viewed favourably by scholars and the public alike, with many regarding his premiership presiding over the greatest period of the Justinian era.