Edward Henderson

Edward Samuel Henderson (3rd February, 1899 - 15th May, 1978, aged 79) was a Rainian politician who served as the Prime Minister of Rainier from 1954-1966. He was the leader of the National Union Party from 1954-1966 and Minister of the Treasury from 1949-1954. He served as the MP for Dwardland from 1946-50, and after its abolishment MP for Calgary Heritage from 1955-70. He is the longest serving Prime Minister in the post-war period.

Henderson studied law at the University of Alberta, and entered the civil service working for the Ministry of the Treasury during the 1920's-40's. After World War Two Henderson became a member of the NUP under Albert W. Moore who inaugurated him as his Minister of the Treasury in 1949. As the "Iron Treasurer" Henderson implemented policies that led to the the "long boom" of the 1950's-1970's. In 1954 Moore's poor health led to Henderson to take over from him as Prime Minister.

A, Henderson government lessened some of the regulations of the previous Labour government, although largely maintained the and  created by by the Labour government. His time in government saw substantial prosperity in Rainian life as his government attempted to "guide" the economy through the imposition of price and wage controls. He led the party to victory in three elections in 1957, 1961 and 1965. Henderson's government was also anti-communist in foreign policy. In 1966 Henderson stepped down as Prime Minister, handing power to foreign minister Mervyn Pryce who went onto lose the 1969 election. In 1970, he retired from the House of Councillors, and until his death in 1978 was seen as an elder statesmen.

Henderson is generally ranked in the upper tier Rainian Prime Ministers. During Henderson's period in office economic prosperity reached its heights, whilst his skill international relations and pragmatic social policies also have elicited praise. However his traditional conservatism and paternalistic style of governance made him seem by 1966 as out-of-touch and old fashioned,. In recent years his reputation has undergone a reassessment, as some conservative historians state that the image of the stern, authotarian and backwards looking Henderson was largely manufactured by left-wing critics in the 1960's, and is today ranked as one of the best Rainian Prime Ministers.