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00:00Four o'clock in the afternoon, the most propitious time to make momentous public statements.
00:06No, I haven't fallen prey to the astrologers.
00:09A four o'clock announcement catches the early evening television news
00:12and first editions of the newspapers throughout the country.
00:16Well, here we go.
00:18Afternoon, Kim.
00:22Gentlemen, ladies, please sit down.
00:25Come, sit down.
00:30Some of you know already, I think, that it is with quite a little reluctance
00:33that I find myself standing here this afternoon.
00:37I am more used to serving my country behind the scenes.
00:40But since so many of my fellow countrymen have pledged their support for me,
00:44I would be very arrogant to spurn them.
00:48So, I accept nomination for the leadership of the Conservative Party.
00:54I have a great belief in the people of this country.
00:58I think they know the kind of government they want.
01:02A government that's firm and fair.
01:06A government that is not afraid to govern.
01:10I would like to see a bit less ideology and a bit more common sense.
01:15A bit more common humanity in our conduct of affairs here and abroad.
01:24As you were, thank you.
01:27Any comments, Tim?
01:28Sounded fine to me. And you committed yourself to nothing.
01:31Well, yes, quite.
01:32Still, I think we'll need more than a few stirring speeches, don't you?
01:35Yes. Six days to the first ballot. Who are we up against?
01:39Mackenzie, Earl, Walton, Samuels and three no-hopers.
01:43Bearstead, Llewelyn Jones-Rees and Bogg.
01:47Right. Mackenzie. Health.
01:50No chance of getting him into a demo at a hospital, I suppose.
01:53Doesn't go to hospitals anymore. Kept being beaten up by the nurses.
01:57I think he has trouble getting insured now.
02:00Well, where does he go to have his photo taken?
02:02Cybertech Laboratories tomorrow. They make wheelchairs.
02:05A photo opportunity with wheelchairs.
02:08That sounds promising.
02:14Nearly there, Minister. Right.
02:17You'll meet Mr Fairchild, the Managing Director, and Dr Sunita Brahmachari.
02:22That's the cybernetics engineer who designed the award-winning chair.
02:26Indian, is he?
02:27She is a British citizen, Minister. Born in Coventry.
02:31The chair's won what?
02:33Brussels Gold Medal, Helsinki Design Award,
02:36and it's been adopted as the new standard in Sweden, Holland, Norway and West Germany.
02:41Not here.
02:42Too expensive for us.
02:44Right. Dr Brahmachari, yes?
02:47Yes, Mr Mackenzie. Here we are.
02:53What the hell's going on?
02:56Who let these people in?
02:58I'm not having this. Drive on. Drive on. Drive on to the next place.
03:03I can't move it at the moment, I'm afraid, sir.
03:05Damn you, get me out of here!
03:06It's all right, sir. They can't get in.
03:08Do as I come to say. Sound the horn and back out of here!
03:11I wouldn't advise it.
03:13Do it! Do it! Do it!
03:23Yes!
03:28Health Minister Mame's crippling hit-and-run incident.
03:31Oh, dear. Poor man must have panicked.
03:33Right, next.
03:35Er, Harold Earl...
03:36You got anything on him?
03:38There was a whiff of scandal about ten years ago.
03:42Rentboy. In a train.
03:44To Red Hill, yes.
03:47Wanted to sell his story, but we bought it and hushed him up.
03:50A bit dreadfully ungentlemanly to bring that up again.
03:53And a man's private life should be a man's private life, surely.
03:56On the other hand, getting sucked off for sixpence in a second-class compartment
04:00is hardly Prime Ministerial behaviour.
04:02Well, yes, you have a point there.
04:04I think we still have something in the file. Let's have a look.
04:20DOOR SLAMS SHUT
04:42Personal and family reasons.
04:45Shame.
04:47His mother's in very poor health, I hear.
04:49Walton and Samuels?
04:51Samuels is squeaky clean. He never seems to put a foot wrong.
04:55A lot of funny stories about Pat Walton, but nothing we can really use.
04:59I have a lot of time for Patrick Walton.
05:01Mackenzie was a fool and Harold Earl was a security risk.
05:04They had to be stopped for the good of the country.
05:07If either Samuels or Walton emerges as a clear leader, I'll stand down.
05:11There's more to politics than personal ambition, Tim.
05:14It's a feature article.
05:16Well, two, really.
05:18But you figure in both.
05:20Independent Magazine are interested in the downfall of a Prime Minister
05:23and I've sold the Sunday Express colour mag an idea about...
05:26Well, forgive me, it sounds a bit crude.
05:29MPs with sex appeal.
05:31Is that just too coarse and frivolous for you?
05:35Well, I don't know. It's...
05:37You've made your mark very quickly.
05:39Everyone agrees it was your question in the House that started the landslide.
05:43Clever as well as charismatic.
05:45The idea is there are certain politicians
05:48who have that edge of authority and style,
05:52know how to seize the moment as it passes.
05:56And you certainly managed that.
05:58Just luck, I guess.
06:00No, I think both of us know it was more than that.
06:03Good contacts, for one thing.
06:07Who tipped you off about the health service, Steve?
06:10Come on, you know I couldn't tell you that.
06:13No, of course you couldn't.
06:15But you could help me guess.
06:17It had to be either someone from in the Cabinet
06:21or someone in Smith Square, yes?
06:24Now, you've got lots of friends, but none of them are in the Tory Cabinet.
06:28But you used to work in PR for Glick and Featherstone.
06:32And so did one or two people in the party publicity office.
06:37I think it's time to change the subject, Mattie.
06:40Yes, of course.
06:42You tell Roger his secret is safe with me.
06:51Mr Urquhart! Mr Urquhart, just a second.
06:54Barely. Busy day, isn't it?
06:56Yes, I know. First ballot and voting tonight.
06:58I just wanted to wish you luck and ask you...
07:00Carry on, I'll catch you up.
07:02Bad time, Mattie.
07:04I have to see you. It isn't just personal.
07:07Mrs Urquhart is going down to the country tonight.
07:10Come late, after midnight, in a taxi.
07:13If there's a light over the door, drive on.
07:15No, that's all. No further statement.
07:27Now, the result of the first ballot is as follows.
07:33Mr Peter Bearstead, seven votes.
07:38Mr George Bogg, one vote.
07:45The Right Honourable Mel Gwynne-Lewellyn Jones-Reese, 13 votes.
07:52The Right Honourable Michael Samuels, 99 votes.
07:57The Right Honourable Francis Urquhart, 91 votes.
08:02The Right Honourable Patrick Walton, 91 votes.
08:09No clear winner having emerged.
08:13We move to the second ballot, one week from today.
08:22Come on, come on, please, God.
08:27Francis, we're in trouble.
08:31We're in trouble.
08:53I'm not at all pleased with you, Mattie. In fact, I ought to be very angry indeed.
08:57Why? What's the matter? What have I done? Don't frown. I don't like it.
09:00I think you know very well what you've done.
09:02Talked to Kendrick? Yes. And Kendrick tipped O'Neill off.
09:05So making my task much more difficult. I had hoped to take him by surprise, but he was ready for me.
09:09I'm sorry. You promised to leave everything to me.
09:13You broke your promise. Yes, I'm sorry. It was stupid of me. I see that now.
09:19It's not a disaster. It simply means I'll need rather longer than I thought I would to win his confidence.
09:26That's not important. I feel so stupid.
09:29What is important is that you mustn't put yourself in danger, Mattie.
09:32Roger O'Neill isn't a dangerous man, but his master is.
09:36Who is it? You know, don't you?
09:40At the moment, we haven't more than a shred of evidence, but you might be able to hazard a guess.
09:47Billsborough. Lord Billsborough plotting the Samuels.
09:51You might very well think that, Mattie. You might very well think that.
09:56You mustn't take any more of these risks, Mattie. You mustn't place yourself in jeopardy.
10:02Will you promise me that? Yes. Yes, I promise.
10:09Good.
10:10Playing with the hopes and dreams of a daughter, now gentle, now hard.
10:15Rebuking and rewarding. Justizing and forgiving.
10:21The pleasures of a father, of a father of daughters.
10:26What greater power is there than that?
10:30Why should a man want to be a father?
10:35What greater power is there than that?
10:39Why should a man want more?
10:42Why should I yearn to be everybody's daddy?
10:53Why can't I say the review? The dreaded Landless Empire have gone for you in a cautious way,
10:58despite your public refusal to back his takeover.
11:01The cardium's still for Michael Samuels. They would be, wouldn't they?
11:05The son finds Patrick Walter most congenial.
11:08So do a lot of our parliamentary colleagues.
11:11You're not thinking of a get-together, are you?
11:14Walton and Urquhart in an anti-Samuels pack.
11:17Not yet, Tim. Not yet.
11:19Besides, I think we should leave it to Patrick to make the first move, eh?
11:22Good morning.
11:25DOORBELL RINGS
11:30Sorry about this.
11:32But they know about the address in Prade Street.
11:35They've guessed about Kendrick.
11:37Look, Francis, you've got to help me. I can't take much more of it.
11:40It's not my line of...
11:42What are you doing?
11:44Francis, will you listen to me? I'm not going to be a gentleman about this.
11:47If I go down, I'm going to spill the lot!
11:50No-one's going down! No-one's going to spill anything!
11:55You're going to come out of this with a knighthood, Roger. A knighthood.
11:59No-one has a shred of proof against you, whatever they think they know.
12:03And no reputable newspaper will print the paranoid fantasies that girl is spinning.
12:07She's well-known throughout the business as a hysterical, trouble-making bimbo.
12:11Nothing to worry about, Roger. All right?
12:15Oh, God, Francis.
12:18I'm not a well man.
12:21I'm not up to this.
12:23Listen.
12:25Go home.
12:27Let your girl look after the office.
12:29Better still, go down to the coast for a couple of days.
12:33Then come to my country place for the weekend.
12:36We'll have a few jars, walk the dogs, and sew the whole thing up.
12:40I guarantee that come Sunday, you'll have nothing to worry about ever again.
12:45And that's a promise, Roger. All right?
12:48All right, Francis.
12:51You're a good friend.
13:16Bad news?
13:18I'm afraid so. We should have to put up with a guest at the weekend.
13:22Not your favourite person.
13:24Roger O'Neill, I presume.
13:27He's in a bad way. Cracking up.
13:30Someone's been indiscreet and the press are on to him.
13:33It seems his young woman has been talking to my young woman.
13:37I thought you said you had her under control.
13:40She is under control. There is nothing to connect me with O'Neill.
13:43And no-one knows he's coming down to see me.
13:46He's become a bit of a pest, hasn't he?
13:50Look, after this weekend, you'll have nothing to worry about.
13:53And what brilliant event happens this weekend?
13:55I can't tell you. You can't tell me?
13:57You haven't found someone else stupid enough to shack up with you?
14:00No! It's business, Penny! Business!
14:04This was the weekend we were going away!
14:07Oh, God!
14:09Ah, Penny, what can I say?
14:12Nothing. It doesn't matter. I don't care any more because you're no fun any more.
14:16You used to be such a lovely man.
14:18Now all you want to do is lie around, do drugs, pass out and piss your pants
14:21while I was born for better things, Rog.
14:23Cheers, then.
14:24Penny, where are you going?
14:26Just back to my own flat, of course, bollockhead.
14:28And listen, you can ring me if you want and I will talk to you.
14:31But if you want to see me again, you've got to get your stupid head straight.
14:34All right?
14:35Ah, Penny, listen. Please!
14:38Penny!
14:43Those who wish to wear their social consciences will support Michael Samuels.
14:48Those whose politics are of the gut-reaction, free-market, buccaneering style
14:52need to look no further than Patrick Walton.
14:56Those who can't make up their minds will have an obvious choice in Francis Urquhart.
15:01Is that the Guardian? Not very charming about any of this.
15:04No, but it'll come out of it at least worse, Steph.
15:06At least they say I stand for something.
15:08No Tory MP wants to go back and face the local shark
15:10saying he voted with his social conscience or that he went for a non-entity.
15:14Francis Urquhart. Who's he?
15:17No, I went for Pat Walton.
15:19Bit of a rough diamond, but his heart's in the right place.
15:21Oh, that's what they say, isn't it?
15:24Stuff along those lines, yes.
15:26What's this?
15:28How else should I know?
15:30It's not a bomb or it would have gone off already.
15:32Patrick Walton in Congress.
15:35Are you sure?
15:38Not in conversation or at the European Congress?
15:41No, there's nothing else with it.
15:43Oh, fund it on.
15:45Let's see what it is.
15:49Oh, oh, oh.
15:53Oh, great.
15:55Oh, splendid stuff.
15:57Oh, hang on, hang on.
15:59Can I move my arm?
16:01Oh, yes, yes.
16:03Oh, you're hurting me.
16:05You love it, don't you?
16:07Love it.
16:10Yes, yes.
16:12Yes, oh, yes.
16:14Yes, yes.
16:16Oh, yes.
16:22And how was that for you, then, Betty?
16:25Oh, brilliant, thank you, Pat.
16:27Good.
16:29Good, because you know what?
16:31I gave my bloody all, didn't I?
16:33I gave my bloody all.
16:35Penny.
16:43The girl at the conference.
16:45You know how it is.
16:48These things happen.
16:51I'm sorry, Stephanie.
16:54God knows how she...
16:57I'd never have thought I...
16:59I do realise these things go on.
17:02After all, it was how you and I became acquainted.
17:05But you seem to have picked the wrong one this time, don't you?
17:08Go on, find out what your little whore wants.
17:11Buy her off, do whatever it takes.
17:13Yes, of course, Stephanie.
17:15Well, go on, then.
17:20Oh, and one more thing.
17:22You will let me know if I need an HIV test, won't you?
17:31Yeah.
17:34Mmm.
17:52KNOCK AT DOOR
17:59And how was all that for you, little whore?
18:01I don't know what you're talking...
18:03Lying little bitch!
18:05Don't you touch me again!
18:10Now, what are you talking about?
18:14The tape purporting to be of you and me in Brighton, on the job.
18:18My wife played it at the breakfast table.
18:21It must have bloody well been you who made it.
18:24It must have been you who sent it.
18:26I wouldn't want anyone to know I'd been with you.
18:29I didn't enjoy it. I hate to think about it.
18:32I am not a whore.
18:34I don't blackmail people. I have all the money I need.
18:37I just wish I knew some people I could trust.
18:41But if not you...
18:44..who?
18:48Hello.
18:52It's for you.
18:55Walter.
18:57Who's that?
18:59No one you know.
19:01Let's say it's a government health warning.
19:03In your case, there's no such thing as safe sex.
19:07In your case, the withdrawal method is the only viable alternative.
19:13I'm sure you understand.
19:16I've only a short statement to make,
19:18and I'm not prepared to answer any questions on it.
19:21As of this moment, I am withdrawing from the contest for the party leadership.
19:25I'm a practical man. I believe my friend Francis Urquhart
19:28has a better chance than I have of winning this election.
19:31I'm not prepared to split the vote so that neither of us win.
19:34As of this moment, I am withdrawing from the contest for the party leadership.
19:39I'm a practical man. I believe my friend Francis Urquhart
19:42to split the vote so that neither of us win. as of now Francis Urquhart has my
19:46absolute support and when he's Prime Minister as I confidently expect he will
19:51be I shall be proud to serve in his government. thank you very much.
19:58why Urquhart? I didn't even know you liked him that much. don't like him. I can't
20:03stand the sodders as a matter of fact. no it's because I don't want the other
20:06bastard to win. that girl belongs to a chap in central office called O'Neill.
20:15O'Neill belongs to that evil old reptile Teddy Billsborough. Michael Samuels his
20:20sponsor. that's one way of putting it. yes old Teddy Billsborough. he's riding on
20:26Samuels back and his scaly old arms around Samuels throat like the old man
20:30of the sea. yes Samuels belongs to Billsborough. O'Neill belongs to
20:35Billsborough. the girl belongs to O'Neill so ultimately she belongs to
20:38Billsborough whether she knows it or not. what a charming world view you have my
20:41darling. everybody belongs to somebody. everybody's somebody's property. I reckon
20:45I was nobbled by Billsborough in aid of Samuels and one day I'll bloody prove it.
20:49only other reason for backing Urquhart is he's the older man. old farts stick
20:53together. old farts die sooner. I'll be waiting in the wings don't you worry
20:59I'll be back.
21:06in fact I ought to be very angry indeed. why what's the matter? what have I done?
21:09don't frown. I don't like it. I think you know perfectly well what you've done.
21:13I talked to Kendrick. yes. Kendrick tipped O'Neill off.
21:17what?
21:19how did you know?
21:25you promised to leave everything to me. you broke your promise.
21:35yes I do understand between the two of us that mr. O'Neill has a small cocaine
21:44problem. what? as chief whip it's one's business to get to know these things.
21:50of us that mr. O'Neill has a small cocaine problem. what? as chief whip it's
21:57one's business to get to know these things.
22:05he owed someone a favor. you have to believe me Mattie. Roger wouldn't hurt a fly.
22:14when he was already in the clinic so somebody in this building it would have
22:20to be made it look as if Charles Conningridge had been subscribing since
22:24January the first.
22:27can I say something at absolute confidence Mattie? not even on lobby terms.
22:37yes yes of course you can. I've had hints that the tabloids are going to mount a
22:44personal attack on the PM. a particularly nasty one. they're going to use his
22:48brother. Charles Conningridge. don't you know him?
22:57July the 28th. you heard hints.
23:03where from?
23:19you trust me don't you Mattie?
23:23you know I do.
23:28you trust me don't you Mattie?
23:32you know I do.
23:35you trust me don't you Mattie?
23:39you know I do.
23:41Roger good man you made it. Francis you're a sight for sore eyes. come on
23:57inside. it's a beautiful place you've got here Francis. thank you.
24:12thanks. cheers. Roger. yes. barring accidents we should be in 10 Downing
24:22Street by the end of the week. I've been thinking about what I shall need but I
24:26thought we'd talk about what you wanted. well as it happens Francis I've been
24:29thinking about that too. what you need as well as what I want I mean and it struck
24:34me you could very well do with someone like me right there at number 10.
24:39publicity specialist. personal press spokesman. no I don't think so. I've got
24:44that all sewn up. no I'd like you to stay on at Smith Square in your present post
24:48under a new chairman. but that's that's nothing. that's nothing more than I'm
24:59doing now. you said you were going to take care of me. you promised me a cave
25:05Francis. and that would be no more than you deserve but with the best will in
25:09the world it may be difficult to deliver a knighthood in the short term. don't you
25:14bloody try to sell me short you old bugger. after all I've done for you. lied
25:20for you. stolen for you. oh god I lost the best girl in the world for you. you try
25:27to leave me stranded in the shit. I'll drag you down with me till you're
25:30blinded and drownded. Roger my dear old friend I'm only saying it may be
25:34difficult to get you into the New Year's honors list but there's another one in
25:38the spring. I must say Roger I didn't expect to be abused in this way. you
25:43don't seem awfully well. I hope I'm going to be able to rely on you to be discreet.
25:48oh Francis. what can I say? there's nothing I can't say. but I'm sorry. I got
26:05hold of the wrong end of the stick entirely. I I've been under a lot of
26:11strain with this business and and penny-going and but for for all that and
26:20everything you can rely on me Francis. I'll keep my mouth shut honest to God I
26:27will. yes Roger I believe you will. come on let's have another drink. she loved me
26:46that girl Francis and I loved her. love her. love her. she's gone. she doesn't work
27:06for me anymore. she's gone to work for another man. she asked me would I blame
27:16her. how could I blame her? the things I asked her to do were never in her job
27:25description. they should never be in anybody's job description except the job
27:31description of a whore. sometimes I think we must all be whores now. here's to
27:44being a whore. except except she had to really. it never was my turn to bite the
27:59pillow. she doesn't love me anymore. she doesn't love me anymore and my poor
28:07heart hurts so bad. it really does hurt. now isn't that a funny thing and no one
28:19to blame but myself. I mean who would have thought I'd be where I am today. did
28:32you dream of how your life would be Francis when you were a boy with a boy's
28:38heart? I mean is this what the good Lord meant for us? if you can look into the
28:44seeds of time and say which grain will grow and which will not. what? nothing. I
28:58like whiskey. I sometimes wish I was an alcoholic. life would be so simple. getting
29:09hold of the other stuff is so tedious and time-consuming. it's a way of sodding
29:13life in itself. I wonder if it'll be any easier when I'm a knight. sir Roger O'Neill.
29:25a 50 quid deal for sir Roger O'Neill and be quick about it my good man. all I want
29:36is to be happy. you know that? and to have my lovely black girl in my bed again. just
29:45for the cuddle. just for the warmth. now she's gone I get so cold. cold as stone.
29:57right through to the bone.
31:27this is an act of mercy. truly you know the man now. you can see he has nowhere
31:49to go. he's begging to be set free. he's had enough.
31:57and when he's finally at rest then we'll be free to remember the real Roger.
32:07the burning boy in the green jersey.
32:13that legendary fabulous sidestep and the brave terrified smile.
32:27an act of mercy.
32:57you've been asleep for hours Roger. I'm sorry. it's six o'clock. listen there's a
33:09change of plan. the BBC are coming to film some domestic footage. I had to
33:14agree. can't let them find you here. no no. I'm afraid you'll have to get going
33:18straight away. I left it as long as I dared before disturbing you. right. now
33:23listen go straight back to your flat and stay there. I'll contact you in the
33:27morning. right. look Francis. now listen don't worry. everything's going to be
33:33fine Roger. absolutely fine. just a moment.
33:53just keep awake. just keep straight.
34:23done it all. been everywhere. seen it all.
34:34Jesus Mary and Joseph. that's better.
34:40that woke me up. fine now. it's a daughter. easy for a clever boy like me.
34:49who was top in arithmetic? Roger O'Neill and him the youngest boy in the class.
34:56and who was selected as fly half for the all-island under-14? Roger O'Neill.
35:03the laughing ghost. ducking and weeping. ducking and weeping.
35:12oh thank you Jesus in your mercy.
35:49just this once because it can't be denied it does you no good in the long
36:02run. get through this weekend then finish. get my lovely girl back. health farm.
36:15shag. ourselves. no. take her. take her to the West Coast.
36:30Galway. so beautiful there. see her eyes sparkle when she sees that sea.
36:43that sky.
36:49Jesus. magic.
37:05yes yes I have seen it as a matter of fact. well I find it quite irresponsible.
37:11I should be very surprised if Michael Samuels was ever a member of the
37:15Communist Party or even a fellow traveler. and as for his CND and pro-gay
37:21stance well that was a long time ago when he was an undergraduate at
37:26Cambridge I understand. I think we should forgive a man a few youthful
37:31indiscretions. what me? no no no. I was far too busy as a young lieutenant in the
37:41Scots Guards for anything of that sort. so what do you make of it? I don't know.
37:46nothing seems to make sense anymore. that file on Samuels was in central office so
37:51O'Neill again I suppose. I suppose but O'Neill working for who? we thought it
37:58was O'Neill working for Billsborough on behalf of Samuels but this is a smear on
38:01Samuels. Billsborough playing double game. Landless. Urquhart. no. no what? not Urquhart.
38:08why not? I just oh it's hopeless. I don't know why I'm still working on it. I have
38:17no job. no one except the BBC will even use me as a freelance. I just keep
38:22thinking two days more. I'll give it two days till the election. if I haven't got
38:27any further by then I'll give up. the infuriating thing is I feel as if I
38:34already have the answer somehow. I just can't see it for looking.
38:417-0-9-8. Mattie it's John. oh don't I. Roger O'Neill's dead. what? the Southampton police found him in a
39:08toilet on the M27 at about 4.30 this morning. sorry looks like that's that.
39:18God I feel so bad about this. you see I jacked him in. the job and him both. I
39:26couldn't go on with him like that. I thought if I left him he could get
39:29himself straight. I know he can do it. I mean God I'm sorry. that's okay. he could
39:43be such fun you know. he didn't give a bugger. he was such a wicked man. do you
39:54know what he was doing in Southampton? he was supposed to be spending the weekend
39:58with someone. wouldn't say who. I'd left him and I was ringing him up three times
40:04a day just to make sure he was all right. do you know why he died? what do you mean?
40:16he had heart failure or someone sold him some bad stuff. what does it matter now?
40:21he's dead isn't he? he was being used by someone. that's why he involved you. I
40:27think he was being blackmailed. he wasn't the only one. I um I went with Pat Walton
40:39at the party conference. someone made a tape of us and sent it to Pat. God. who?
40:46don't know. Pat thought it was me. look you don't really care about Roger at all
40:56do you? you just want a good story to put in your paper. I do care Penny. well I don't
41:01actually want to talk about this anymore. Roger's dead and I don't actually care
41:07about anything else so will you go away now please and leave me alone. Urquhart? no. then who?
41:15someone who had access to confidential information. not just party secrets. cabinet secrets.
41:21the territorial army leaks and the hospital cuts and the mendocks all clear. you'd have to be on
41:26three different cabinet committees to know all those firsthand and I've been to all that
41:29hundreds of times. the only person on all three committees was Collingridge and he'd hardly
41:33know about himself would he? let's try motive again. who stood to gain from all the leaks and
41:39dirty tricks? anyone who wanted to get rid of Collingridge. anyone who wanted to be prime
41:43minister himself. Earl, Mackenzie, Samuels, Billsborough, Wilton, Urquhart. every one of those has been
41:52smeared, nobbled or generally buggered up except Urquhart. the only snag is that Urquhart's not a
41:58cabinet minister at all. he didn't have to be. what?
42:05he didn't have to be. he would have known about those things simply by being chief whip.
42:12every government department has a whip attached to it. the junior whips report back weekly to
42:17the chief whip. the chief whip is informed in advance of anything that is likely to be
42:21politically sensitive. the chief whip tends to know a lot of personal stuff about his colleagues too.
42:26yes. what do you know about Wilton and that girl do you think? they met in Urquhart's suite
42:32at Urquhart's party. jesus. Mattie why the hell didn't you think of Urquhart sooner?
42:38because I couldn't bear to think it might be him of course. why not for christ's sake? how do you guess?
42:43I'm having an affair with him.
42:49Francis Urquhart? he's old enough to be your father. what on earth do you think that matters?
43:00I'm in love with him.
43:07Penny you know you met Patrick Walton at Francis Urquhart's party. did anyone arrange that meeting?
43:11Roger did. look did you come all this way just to make me start crying again? of course I didn't.
43:17listen do you think Roger might have been acting for someone? I know he was. he didn't say who though.
43:23could it have been Francis Urquhart? did he and Roger know each other well? I don't think so.
43:30Roger was doing some work for him recently. Urquhart was angry with him. some sort of cock up
43:35over computer files. Penny you know Urquhart has a country house? yes. do you know where it is?
43:41I used to have the number. I used to have all the cabinet private numbers but I handed the list in
43:45when I left. no hang on I could give you the code. it was my pin number 0703.
44:100703 0703
44:41could you say that again please?
44:51is that Lindhurst Surrey? no it's Lindhurst Hampshire. it's the middle of the bloody night down here.
45:11oh
45:33John the motorway service is where Roger O'Neill was found.
45:38the motorway service is where Roger O'Neill was found. it's only eight miles away from Urquhart's
45:44country house.
46:07so
46:37Adrian! hi Mattie. what's going on? it feels like Christmas or something. oh just the Urquhart mob
46:48starting to celebrate early. already? yeah looks like it's the year of the whip. have you seen him
46:53Adrian? who Urquhart? no I won't want to do any interviews till it's all official. you needn't
46:58have worried. come have a cup of tea. no there's someone I need to speak to. thanks Adrian.
48:08I believe you're looking for Frances Urquhart. oh yes yes I am. thank you. um you're uh you're one
48:16of the whips aren't you? Tim Stamper. how do you do? I'm I'm Mattie Storrin. lately of the
48:22chronicle. currently a charge upon the state. well it's not quite... we've spoken on the phone.
48:28I was wondering what you'd look like. look I'm sorry it is rather urgent. could you tell me where
48:33mr Urquhart is? what do you want to see him about? it's personal. is it? yes I'm sure it is.
48:40you'll appreciate he has rather a heavy day today. I'm sure he'll make time to see me.
48:45oh I shouldn't be surprised at all.
48:50Ruth Gardner. right. he wanted a bit of time to himself.
48:56it better be right about his eagerness to see you. thank you very much for your help.
49:33thank you.
49:52Mattie. little Mattie. do you know I was just thinking about you? no I don't think you were.
49:58indeed I was. I was thinking that now the struggle seems to be over I could do something
50:03to help you. Mattie is there something the matter? is there anything I can do?
50:11you're upset about something aren't you? what is it Mattie? tell me it isn't true. what?
50:19tell me it isn't true. tell you what isn't true? I need to know what you're talking about Mattie.
50:24I have many talents but I'm not a mind reader. but you're the one. that you were the one all the
50:30time. the one who put Collingridge and his brother in the frame. the one who leaked the embarrassing
50:35documents. the one who tried to have me frightened off. the one who killed Roger O'Neill. tell me it
50:40isn't true. tell me. Mattie. Mattie. look at you. come on now. that's better.
50:51you trust me don't you? did you? did you kill Roger O'Neill?
51:00Mattie have you any idea at all how much this pains me? I feel for you very deeply. I can't
51:09bear to be the object of your suspicion. I trusted you Mattie. why couldn't you trust me?
51:17I wanted to. I still want to. do you Mattie? I love you. tell me properly. call me daddy.
51:27I love you daddy. I just want to know. what? did you kill Roger O'Neill?
51:37yes. how? rat poison. he had to be put down. it was an act of mercy.
51:52he's at peace now. nothing more to fear.
51:58Mattie. what? Mattie. what?
52:03can I trust you? you know you can't. oh Mattie. it gives me such pain to say this.
52:12but I don't believe you. I don't believe I can trust you.
52:20Daddy!
52:33Daddy!
52:42something made me turn round. I must have heard her. I had absolutely no chance of preventing her.
52:50yes I knew her slightly. she was a very talented young woman but rather highly strong.
52:57she had interviewed me on several occasions. I understand she was very upset about losing her job
53:02as political correspondent to a national newspaper. death is always sad. but the sudden
53:10and unexpected death of a young and talented person on the threshold of her career is especially
53:16upsetting. Francis Urquhart commenting on the unfortunate death of a young journalist at the
53:21house of commons earlier today. Mr. Urquhart is now understood to be en route to Buckingham Palace
53:25where he will be invited by the Queen to form a government.
53:33no I have nothing to say.
53:37no. no. don't you see? I had to do it. how could I have trusted her?
53:51you might very well think that. I could not possibly comment.