Luke Macaulay

Luke John Stewart Macaulay, MP (b. May 16, 1963) is a Georgeland politician and the acting Leader of the Georgeland Opposition, following the sudden death of Sam Richardson. He is formally the the Deputy Leader of the Conservative Party of Georgeland. As such, he is the Deputy Leader of the Opposition and holds the position of Shadow Treasurer in the Shadow Cabinet. Born in Emilypolis, Scoita, in 1963, Macaulay was educated at the University of Santa Christina where he became a friend of Campbell Rhodes. In 1982, Rhodes defeated Macaulay in student body elections, though Macaulay himself nevertheless played an active role in student politics. He and Rhodes remain firm friends to this day, despite their differing ideologies. A member of the Tory Party since he was 19, Macaulay studied economics and was a practicing accountant in the mid-1980s, before giving it up because, in his own words "I wasn't boring enough". In 1989, Macaulay, aged 26, stood for the House of Commons seat of Smithfield against future Prime Minister Michael Elderton but lost. In 1991 he was defeated again for Smithfield, and following an electoral redistribution, stood for the seat of Stevenson in February 1995. He won, and has held the seat for the Conservatives ever since. In 2000, Macaulay was appointed to the Tory front bench by then-leader Benedict Ingram as Shadow Minister for the Arts, and was promoted by Mary Byrne to become Shadow Attorney General in 2001. In 2003, he stood for the party leadership on the resignation of Michael Fisch but was defeated by Richardson, who appointed him Shadow Minister for Finance and Manager of Opposition Business. In early 2004, Macaulay was appointed as Shadow Minister for Home Affairs. In October of that year, outspoken and controversial deputy leader Nick Sheridan resigned, and Macaulay was elected unopposed to replace him. He took Sheridan's Treasury portfolio as well. Macaulay hails from the Conservative party's moderate faction, and is considered the faction's unofficial leader. He has made several public statements conflicting with Tory policy, including reservations regarding the United States' invasion of Iraq. He has also stated he has no personal problem with gay marriage or abortion. Macaulay has been seen as a potential party leader and Prime Minister for some time. Supporters of Macaulay feel his youth and moderate image would be great electoral assets, as he is the very antithesis of the 'old, fat, boring, blustering Tory' image that has dogged the party for decades. Should Richardson vacate the leadership, Macaulay is generally assumed to have the support to take over, though right-wingers such as Martin Higgins, James Bradford or Mary Byrne would oppose such a move. Rumours have consistently emerged that Macaulay could very well 'defect' from the Tories and join the Liberal Democrats or the Georgeland Alliance, parties with whom he has considerable common ground on some issues. Macaulay has dismissed any such talk. On April 16, 2006, Richardson suffered a massive heart attack and died in hospital an hour later. Macaulay, who had been attending the same function, accompanied Richardson in the ambulance and is therefore the last person, other than medical personnel, to see Richardson alive. Macaulay, as deputy, is now the acting Leader until a permanent replacement can be chosen - there has not, as yet, been any indication as to when this contest will take place. Macaulay is a lapsed Presbytarian who does not regularly attend church and has said on occasion that he 'flirts with agnosticism'. Most Scoitan Tories are Roman Catholic - the minority Protestant population typically side with the non-Conservative parties. Macaulay has been an outspoken critic of the Catholic Church's 'stranglehold' on Conservative politics, particularly in his home state. Macaulay and his wife Alice have two children, and reside in Emilypolis.