Richard Branstead-Smith

Overview
Richard James Branstead-Smith is a Dranian politician formerly currently serving as Chairman of the right-wing Grand National Party and as Minister of Internal Affairs in the administration of Prime Minister José Gomez (PP).

Life
Born as Richard J. Smith to a lower middle-class family - his father being a truck driver and his mother a housewife -, he grew up in one of the poorer districts of Iglesia Mayor, where he also attended high school. While his father was a radical socialist and union member, his mother was a devoted member of the Universal Church of Terra and taught her son conservative values from early on. His father was often abroad and could thus not interfere with the establishment of young Richard's political ideas. When he died in 3368, only one week after Richard had passed his final exams at school, both he and his mother had to work part-time to make ends meet. Simultaneously, he began to study law at the National University of Law and Government in Santa Sharika, obtaining a bachelor's degree in 3371 and a master's degree three years later. He soon became employed in a law firm in his home town and began to work as an independent lawyer after obtaining his Ph.D. in law in 3378.

Politics
He first got involved in politics after he had rise to prominence nationally for defending a doctor who had declined to conduct an abortion despite immanent danger for the mother's life, which was discussed controversially in the media. In 3389, Branstead-Smith was elected to the Ulbrach legislature and became the justice spokesman of the local GNP faction, a position which he held until 3397, when he became a federal MP. Serving as a backbencher until 3401, he then became Minister of Internal Affairs in the right-wing four-way cabinet of José Gomez (PP) and subsequently Chairman of the GNP following the resignation of Jasmine Hastings. Branstead-Smith was considered the compromise candidate of the old party establishment against the radical and anarchist-leaning wing, whose foremost proponent, failed Ulbrach gubernatorial candidate Steve McCrory he defeated in the leadership election, however the margin (57.5% to 42.5%) was considered small in comparison to the results giants like Janice LeCoultre used to score. Under his leadership, GNP and CNP strengthened there already close co-operation even more.