| The Right Honourable Emyr Phillips | |
|---|---|
| |
| 13th Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Rainier | |
| In office 12th September 1969 – 13th April 1973 | |
| Deputy | Charles Barber |
| Preceded by | Mervyn Pryce |
| Succeeded by | Frederick Joseph |
| Constituency | Meirionfor |
| Leader of the Social Credit Party | |
| In office 13th October 1963 – 24th July 1980 | |
| Preceded by | Michael Hetrick |
| Succeeded by | Gerald Handling |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 13th May 1909 Portland, Rainier
|
| Died | 24th July 2008 (aged 99) Olympia, Rainier
|
| Political party | Social Credit Party |
| Spouse(s) | Janet Hewson |
| Children | 2 |
| Profession | Engineer |
| Religion | Calvinistic Methodism |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | Rainian Army |
| Years of service | 1941 - 1945 |
| Rank | Colonel |
| Battles/wars | World War II (Pacific War) |
Emyr Phillips (13th May 1909 - 24th July 2008, aged 99) was a Rainian Social Credit politician who served as Prime Minister of Rainier between 1969-73. He also served as Leader of Social Credit party from 1963 to 1980. Phillips served as the MP for Meirionfor from 1958 to his death in 2008.
Born in a poor family in Portland in 1922, Phillips was enlisted in the Rainian army during World War II, becoming a Colonel. He was stationed in occupied Japan until 1949 when he returned home, training to become a farmer. In 1955 he became a representative for the Farmers' and Countryside Alliance, becoming a member of the Social Credit party and in 1958 was elected to the House of Councillors. In 1969 due to dissatisfaction with the NUP government he was able to lead the Social Credit party to get a record number of seats and form a coalition government with the Labour party who had the same number of seats as the Socreds.
The Phillips government was amongst the most active in the Rainian history, carrying out several far reaching social and economic reforms. Despite personally being a conservative under Phillips capital punishment was repealed, universal university education introduced and more economic intervention introduced. Phillips also terminated Rainier's relations with South Africa over its apartheid policy of which he was a vocal opponent of and struck a deal with Japan in 1969 that led to Okinawa returning to Japan in 1972. Most notably the Health Assistance Programme was introduced giving Rainier universal healthcare. Phillips government also increased tariffs and dramatically expanded rural funding with the Provincial Plan that aimed to modernise Rainian agriculture on a cross-provincial level to the extent it could be made self-sufficient.
The Phillips government however in its last years encountered serious economic difficulties with inflation rising, causing the government to pass new unpopular taxes to maintain government spending. Divisions also emerged in his government over the issue of Vietnam - Phillips, a staunch anti-communist, opposed troop withdrawal which his coalition Labour partners favoured. In 1973 he deliberately lost a vote of confidence to undermine his Labour coalition partners and renew his mandate, but was defeated by Frederick Joseph with the Socred's falling to third place. Phillips continued as Socred leader until being ousted from the role in 1980. Phillips continued to serve as a backbench Socred MP and elder statesmen until his death in 2008 aged 99.
Phillips's legacy as prime minister is mixed. His social reforms whilst divisive at their inception have for the most part endured. His strong opposition to apartheid also has vindicated Phillips by academics. However, Phillips was criticised for leading over a divided government, often attempting to block the social reforms his government passed, failing to adhere to the conservative principles he campaigned on and for failing to provide Rainier with good economic management.