Christopher Shaw

Christopher Shaw in 2023

**Christopher Shaw** is a Shean politician, currently serving as First Minister of Shea since the 11th of November 2023, who was born on the 9th of November 1982. Shaw became a Deputy for Beatrice in 2005 after a successful campaign. He remained in opposition until becoming Minister for Education in 2008. He lost that position in 2010, taking the position of Minister for Transport from 2010 to 2015, and finally, Minister for Finance from 2015 to 2020. Shaw went became the Leader of Conservative Populist in 2021 after a successful bid at becoming leader in the 2021 leadership election. Shaw then led his party to victory in the 2023 Chamber of Deputies Election and became First Minister on the 11th of November 2023.

Shaw was born on the 11th of November to Mark Shaw and Cate Shaw in Beatrice, Shea. He attended Marigold Primary School in the north of Beatrice from 1987 to 1994 and then attended Marigold Secondary School from 1994 to 2000. After leaving school, Shaw became employed as a receptionist at a local electronics company in the north of Beatrice. After becoming tired of his job as a receptionist, Shaw entered the political career after joining the Conservative Populist Party in 2001 at the age of 19. Shaw failed to be picked as a candidate for Beatrice in the 2002 Chamber of Deputies Election but was successfully picked in 2005. He went on to win a seat in the 2005 Chamber of Deputies Election and once again in 2008. After the 1st Right-Wing Government was formed, Shaw was asked to become Minister for Education which he accepted. Shaw remained Minister for Education until 2010 due to a cabinet reshuffle and a scandal. He became Minister for Transport in 2010, "a demotion" according to Shaw in 2016 and went on to win the 2011 and 2014 elections. Shaw became Minister for Finance in 2015 after a cabinet reshuffle and was happy to receive a very high position in government. Shaw won his seat again in 2017 and 2020 but the 2nd Left-Wing Government was formed after that election and so Shaw lost his position in the cabinet and his government was thrown into the opposition.

After Norton Bates resigned as the leader of Conservative Populist on the 2nd of February, a leadership election was held that led to Shaw successfully winning the election and becoming leader of the party on the 17th of February 2021. Shaw contested the 2023 Chamber of Deputies Election with a moderate set of policies in an attempt to overshadow the "harsh" left-wing policies of the 2nd Left-Wing Government. His bid was a success, leading to Shaw's party to win the most seats in the Chamber. Shaw formed a government with three other parties on the 11th of November 2023 and became First Minister the same day.

## Early Life: 1982 - 2005

Christopher Shaw was born on the 9th of November 1982 to Mark Shaw and Cate Shaw in the north of Beatrice in the Republic of Beatrice. Shaw grew up relatively well-off as his parents held high paying jobs and comfortable living. Shaw said that this skewed his opinion of people who had less money. Shaw attended Marigold Primary School in north Beatrice from 1987 to 1994. His family relocated houses after Shaw's dad lost his job, forcing them to downgrade to a smaller house. Shaw then attended Marigold Secondary School from 1994 to 2000. Shaw took part in a drama club, writing club, took 5th and 6th grade maths, and 5th and 6th grade physics.

after leaving school, Shaw instantly found employment as a receptionist in a local electronics company in Marigold. Shaw did not like the small pay and soon quit his job after just a year in 2001. After quitting his job, Shaw took an interest in politics and joined the Conservative Populist Party a month after leaving his job. Shaw attempted to be picked as a candidate for the 2002 Chamber of Deputies Election but Conservative Populist did not pick him due to his age.

## Early Political Career: 2005 - 2008

Shaw tried to be picked as a candidate again in 2005 but this time he was successful and became one of the candidates for Beatrice. He went on to win his election and become a Deputy in the Chamber. Shaw remained in opposition like the rest of his party but many figures in COP noted that Shaw had a particular way with words and thought that he would gain power some day.

## In Government: 2008 - 2020

The 2008 Chamber of Deputies Election was the set to be the closest election in Shea since the 1999 Chamber of Deputies Election. Shaw's bid for Deputy was once again successful and along with a newly formed right-wing government, Shaw's party had now entered government.

### Minister for Education: 2008 - 2010

Shaw was asked to become Minister for Education by the First Minister after the results of the 2008 Election. Shaw accepted it and became Minister for Education when the government was formed.

Shaw took his role very seriously and wanted to display his charisma and policies now that he had some influence in the government. Shaw's first major action as Minister for Education was to revamp the education system in the country. Shaw believed that children in Primary School should now take an end of school test that would determine their level of working. This test would take place during the 3rd term of Grade 7 and would be a relatively important test for the child. Shaw also wanted to change the requirements for maths and English by requiring that both subjects must now be taken all throughout the school term. Shaw implemented these changes via the Education Act 2009.

Shaw came under criticism in early 2010 for mismanaging funds that were given to him by the Minister for Finance. It was revealed that Shaw had relocated some of those funds to his holiday in December 2009 and that he used some of the funds to pay his taxes in January and February 2010. First Minister, Marlon Ideonia, responded to the situation by sacking him as Minister for Education on the 12th of March 2010 but compensated by making Shaw Minister for Transport.

### Minister for Transport: 2010 - 2015

After taking up the position of Minister for Transport, Shaw attempted to leave the spotlight because of his scandal in March 2010 over embezzling funds.

Shaw went on to keep his seat in the 2011 Chamber of Deputies Election and remained Minister for Transport. As Minister for Transport, Shaw led many conferences in support of a more green-friendly transport system, opposing the increasing manufacturing of cars, and supporting the implementation of more affordable transport. Shaw was voted the most green COP Deputy in 2012 by a public vote and was praised by environmentalists. Shaw's ministry was given a large sum of money in 2014 to share among councils and implement a much larger transport system in all of the islands, including the first major-scale transport system in Barnova. Shaw was once again reelected as Deputy for Beatrice in the 2014 Chamber of Deputies Election and was supportive of the new, more moderate First Minister, Magnus Takat. Shaw did not remain Minister for Transport for much longer after Takat became First Minister, becoming Minister for Finance in early 2015.

### Minister for Finance: 2015 - 2020

After being appointed as Minister for Finance, Shaw was determined to take a tuff stance on the debt that the country was in. Along with close ties with First Minister, Magnus Takat, Shaw began cuts in many sectors such as defence, welfare, social services, and housing. Shaw's budget cuts were criticized by the leftists, centrists, and some moderate right-wingers, leading to Shaw to defend his budget plans. Shaw also implemented a raise in taxes, changing the flat income tax from 31% (in 2014) to 35% (in 2015). Shaw's 2015 budget was largely criticized by the media and most of the public. It was revealed via a study that Shaw's budget was responsible for increasing unemployment rates from 6.6% in 2014 to 8.9% in late 2015.

Shaw recognised the unemployment rate in mid 2015 and ensured that the budget cuts would ensure that long-term unemployment rates would be lower. He believed that further cuts would most likely take place in the following year and Shaw decreased spending once again in 2016 by around 8% and increase income tax from 35% to 36%. Unemployment rates reached its highest since the early the mid 90s at around 9.5% at its peak, leading to major criticism from the media and Deputies in the Chamber. Calls in Takat's government to replace Shaw as Minister for Finance were apparent but Magnus Takat (who was very friendly with Shaw) believed that Shaw's plan would work in the long term. Shaw decided to go back on his budget cuts as well as his tax increase in December 2016, promising to reverse the cuts in the 2017 budget. His promised was delivered, with relatively large increases in welfare, social services, health, transport, housing, and education. He also decreased the income tax rate from 36% to 34%. His budget was met with satisfaction among the government, the media, and the public, leading to unemployment rates dropping to 7.5% by the end of 2017.

Shaw opposed the Taxation Act 2018 that would abolish the inheritance tax and reintroduce the three tax brackets but it was passed anyways. Shaw's budget in 2018 was relatively the same as the last except from the reintroduction of the three tax brackets. Shaw set the working bracket at 20% income tax, the middle bracket at 30%, and the wealthy bracket at 40%. His tax rates were considered "generous" by Max Takat of The Nation but were favoured among the public. Shaw increased taxes by 2% for the working bracket and decreased taxes by 2% for the wealthy bracket in the 2019 budget, something that heavily criticized, especially because the working bracket already had to pay a considerable amount. Shaw's last budget was in 2020 and it saw a pretty large decrease in spending and a 1% increase of income tax for the working bracket and a 1% decrease for the wealthy bracket.

Shaw lost his cabinet position as Minister of Finance after the results of the 2020 Chamber of Deputies. His term as Minister for Finance held mixed views from the public.

## Out of Government, COP Leadership Election, & 2023 Election: 2020 - 2023

After Shaw's party was spelled into opposition, Shaw gained a large wave of popularity during late 2020 and early 2021 due to problems facing the leadership of Conservative Populist. The leader of the Conservative Populist Party, Norton Bates, would resign as leader of the party on the 2nd of February, leading to beginning of the party's 2021 leadership election.

### 2021 Leadership Election & Leadership

Shaw majorly changed his approach to politics and became more moderate during the leadership election, becoming economically less conservative and socially less conservative. He was described as a "progressive conservative" or "liberal conservative" throughout the campaign and it furthered his popularity as a member of the party and possible leader.

Shaw received 41% of members votes in the 1st round of voting, against 35% of votes received by Javier Anders. Shaw received 48% of votes in the 2nd round of voting, against Javier Anders' 40%. Shaw finally won in the third round after winning 58% of votes against Javier Anders' 42% of votes. Shaw became leader on the 17th of February 2021 and promised to "reinvent" the Conservative Populist.

### 2023 Chamber of Deputies Election

Shaw introduced a manifesto in early 2023 for the 2023 Chamber of Deputies Election and greatly expanded on his manifesto promises in summer and autumn of 2023. He set out to introduce more moderate polices that would prove to be appealing against the "radical left" policies of the 2nd Left-Wing Government that had made the public become sceptical of New Left and Alternative. Shaw promised to not change laws on abortion, decrease spending in healthcare and social services by removing some programs and giving that funding to defence spending, demilitarize harbours and airports, increase immigration quotas if covid-19 cases remain low, introduce a program to allow immigrants to learn English, and reverse the Natural Resources Act 2005. The COP manifesto was widely praised and allowed for Shaw to be put into the limelight.

Shaw's party received the most seats in the election and gave him an opportunity to form a government. Shaw's victory was unexpected and it was thought that the left would cling onto power with a much reduced majority. Shaw began negotiations to form a government on the 20th of October after being invited to form a government by President, Nikolas Reverend, on the 19th of October. COP, UNITED, MOV, and UDEM, held their first meeting together on the 1st of November and soon all four parties entered into a coalition on the 6th of November.

## In Government: 2023 - Present

### First Minister: 2023 - Present

The coalition entered government on the 11th of November 2023 after cabinet positions were assigned. Shaw became First Minister, Caleb Monroe became Second Minister, and Andy Kirkson became Minister for Finance.