1
This programme contains some
strong language.
See you later. OK, see you later,
darling. Next week.
COBRA at eight, Education Secretary
at nine, Foreign Secretary after.
Then to Leicester, factory visit,
lunch, press conference,
back to London, the House.
I'm not doing the backbenchers.
They don't interest me.
Anthea can do them. Sir, you agreed.
I'm not doing it.
6:30, French President,
reception, dinner, bi-lateral talks.
And it's your mother's birthday.
OK. And she gets...
A handbag. Very nice.
I've seen it. All right.
Oh... I was promised news
of Worricker. None.
I heard you come in.
Are you all right?
Yeah, I'm fine. How was it?
Pretty brilliant.
I was brilliant, I mean.
And them?
Yes. They responded brilliantly.
Good. I'm glad you're back.
Let's go to bed.
Morning. Prime Minister.
Express - Bill's in
trouble in Kiev.
Independent - Deputy Prime Minister's
husband on bribery charges.
The Sun - Billy Whizz does a runner.
Deputy PM's man flees questions.
Times - Catcheside faces Kiev
bribery allegations.
Guardian - Anthea Catcheside's
husband accused by Kiev.
Bill! Just two seconds of your time.
Just two seconds. Bill! Bill!
What does the PM
think about the backhanders?
Is it true your wife is planning to resign?
Come on, Bill, how much did you...
You're up.
Yes.
I'm surprised. I left you sleeping.
Mm.
Here.
We could MAKE coffee, you know.
I never make coffee, I buy it.
I've noticed.
It's better. I see more.
Mrs Catcheside. Mrs Catcheside!
This way, Mrs Catcheside!
Mrs Catcheside,
did you accompany him to Kiev?
Anthea?
Oh, God!
Sorry, Prime Minister,
it's my fault, I overlooked this.
Yes?
It's in the Independent. Well?
It's about the Bridge.
It's strangely worded
but it's asking where the
financing comes from.
Is Stirling Rogers mentioned?
He is.
And the Americans? Yes.
It's suggesting that you might be preparing
to move out of Downing Street. Well, I'm not.
So? So, what shall I say?
Well, we say nothing.
If we go near the fire, we feed it.
If we ignore it, it dies.
That's what I've learnt.
In this case?
In this case specifically?
In this case as others.
By the way,
what's the journalist's name?
And... when will she
be back in town, do you think?
Allegra. How you getting on?
This little story of yours,
where does it come from?
I see. You're not saying anything.
Well, when we get into court,
will it stand up? Let's hope so.
You've run it very small.
That's not me, that's editorial.
Well, of all people.
I thought you weren't
answering your phone.
I saw who it was.
Is there somewhere you can go
to be private?
You're crazy.
Have you read the papers?
Obviously.
Well, there is no private.
There hasn't been private
for getting on for a month.
I need to see you.
All right.
Hello.
Rollo, bad news I'm afraid,
we've had to move on.
Again? What is this, Grand Tour of
Europe? They're on to us.
Who? How do you know? Because I
recognised a jogger in Heidelberg.
I actually recruited her
five years ago.
They don't get any cleverer, do they? No, but we've
all done worse things in our time, or I have.
Rollo, I need to know, is the
item in print? Yeah. This morning.
Vague? Suitably.
Any reaction?
Not yet. Too early.
Never underestimate the British
journalist's ability to miss a good story.
Rollo, we need to get going.
This is feeling urgent.
Can you come out and see me?
Don't think so. Why not?
Because I've now got an admirer
of my own. Anyone we know?
My impression is, the whole service
is working to one remit -
find Johnny Worricker.
Let me know as soon as we get
a reaction. Don't worry.
It may take time but I'll bet
the farm he's going to jump.
- Morning, everyone.
- Morning.
Morning.
I don't believe this.
You told me we had a deal.
We did have a deal. And?
Those friends of yours
paid back 200 million.
That's what you told me.
It's true. To the CIA.
And in return we were promised
the end of the story.
I mean, we know who's behind this,
hmm? Worricker.
He's a shit. Alec, think of it
his way. He's trapped.
They're both trapped, the two of
them. They're... panicking.
They can't live in exile
for the rest of their lives.
I have to deal with all sorts of people - truly -
people I can't even begin to describe to you... Sure.
Fair enough, that's the job.
It costs me nothing, I can do it
in my sleep. Honestly.
But I demand one thing - people
have to stick to their word.
What's he up to? What does he want?
And this has happened before.
He was meant to hand back that file.
He went back on his promise.
And now here we are, he's...
done it again.
But you don't actually know that. What,
you think this item could be coincidence?
Don't jump to conclusions,
it may turn out to be innocent.
Look at the wording -
it's all pretty vague.
We don't even know the name of the journalist. Well,
exactly, but we know the paper. We know its editor.
Yeah?
You're a friend of Belinda's.
Everyone's a friend of Belinda's.
What, pony parties, is it?
Going up to Oxfordshire
for barbecues and gin?
Her mother's a marchioness. Lady...
Sheep-dip, Lady Cotswolds, I don't know.
Which means she's not easy to reach. She's
so rich, so posh... she doesn't give a fuck.
That's the last thing we need.
Alec... I don't like
to see you rattled.
You've done nothing wrong, remember?
You're not on trial. Not yet.
What charge are you meant
to be facing?
You've started a foundation,
which is for when you leave office,
to address major global issues
of war and peace.
It's been part-funded by a group
of American entrepreneurs,
who work in many diverse fields,
including the security business.
So? Perhaps you'd like to tell me
what's wrong with that?
Well, you know what's wrong.
The world is complicated. People have different
interests. Public, private. It's how things are now.
It's not a question of how it is,
it's a question of how it appears.
Especially when these same Americans have been
caught ripping off the American taxpayer.
They haven't been caught. Not
in public. And they never will be.
Which is why it's essential that you
remain the public face of the foundation.
Stirling, your hands are clean.
Certainly are. Spotless.
I mean, what's happening here?
I am trying to do something
important for my country.
Because we're at war.
If only people would admit it.
In one year Iran
will have a nuclear weapon.
What, I'm just supposed to ignore
it? Just sit back, let it happen?
Alec, you are the greatest
politician of the age.
Your enemies are plankton.
Truly.
Some rogue M15 man with a file!
Is that what the Prime Minister of Great Britain
should be worrying about first thing in the morning?
Some tie-dyed arsehole
from the Turks and Caicos?
Was he wearing tie-dye?
No, he wasn't.
Then, why did you say it?
Because it's a metaphor.
And it's a joke! Huh, joke.
Alec, think about it, seriously.
Your people are out there,
they've got Europe locked down.
By our count he's already moved
at least five times.
There's no plan to it.
Worricker's moving zigzag,
his brain's cotton wool,
he's just a... rat on a map.
And when we get him? What?
I mean, when he's caught him.
Have you thought about that?
Do you have any serious idea of what we
then do with him? And the girlfriend.
I've thought about it.
Good, because that's the next stage.
Alec, you're getting this
out of proportion.
No, getting him's the easy bit.
It's what we do with him then.
What d'you think? Pretty nice.
You'd better enjoy it.
Why? How many more flats do we have?
None.
Well, don't look at me.
By my reckoning, Wiesbaden's our fourth.
You never could count. Tenth.
You're including hotels.
Yeah. How could I forget?
And we're running out of money.
Great.
So can we go home?
Brian...
I've, er, got an unscheduled
meeting. I want somewhere secure.
Not in your own office? I said.
There's a room in the basement.
Come on, then.
I need to be left on my own.
It's national security.
It's kind of you
to make time for me.
I wanted to see you
because I'm deeply concerned.
Have you seen this?
Tell me about it.
I know security's
no longer your remit...
I still get to see a lot of
high-grade intelligence.
It passes across my desk.
Yes, that's at my insistence.
Is it really? Yes.
I didn't know that. Well, it is.
I believe it's important in government
that the most sensitive material
is always seen
by more than one pair of eyes.
You'll have to explain.
The Prime Minister's judgment
has always been faultless.
It certainly has.
Don't get me wrong.
He's a man who's called
every major issue
of the last ten years correctly.
And you're close to him. I am. I'm
very close. I owe him a great deal.
He made you acting head of the service.
More than that, he protected you. Yes.
When you most needed protecting.
I'm in his debt. But?
But it's also healthy for government
if there's a little air,
a little... ventilation
around important decisions.
That way things don't get... cramped.
I don't know if you heard
about a murder in the Caribbean,
a few months ago.
Yes, I think I heard something.
A man with a strawberry mark?
That's him. Yes, I saw a picture.
But, to be honest,
it hasn't been my priority.
I'm sure.
I've had problems of my own.
My errant husband.
Well, of course we may be able to
help you there. Sorry? Help me?
I mean, we may be able to give you
information you may not have.
About your husband.
Stuff you don't know.
What sort of stuff?
Go on. What you were
saying about the murder.
Have you heard of the Bridge?
The Prime Minister's plan to continue statesmanship
beyond his formal period of elected office?
Yes. I've heard of it.
Well, it was one of the donors
to that project that was killed.
Do we know who by? And we've had some questions
recently about the project's financing.
It's financing?
Yes. How it's financed?
Forgive me, but... I'm going to ask
a question, because time is short.
Oh, by all means. It's this -
what's the subject of this meeting?
What's the subject?
Yes. Give me a headline.
Say, I'm going home, this evening
in the car, or in the bath,
and I think, "I met Jill Tankard
today and we talked about..."
What? What did we talk about?
What was the subject?
I've come in to open up a channel.
What sort of channel?
A channel of communication.
To flag up potential trouble.
It seems to me any trouble you're talking of
isn't for me, it's for Alec. I think it may be.
Frankly, Jill, what you're saying
doesn't add up to much.
Doesn't it? I don't think so.
Why not?
Because what's the beef here?
In his eagerness for a life
beyond Downing Street,
the Prime Minister may have accidentally
befriended some dubious characters.
Crooks. So? What he'll do when he leaves government
isn't strictly a matter FOR the government.
Isn't it? Maybe not, but if people find out about
it - and this reference is the first sign -
then we may enter rough water.
And in rough water it'll be
to your personal advantage
to be briefed about what's coming up
before it actually happens.
OK. And another thing...
Yes? CIA's got a new boss.
How does that affect us?
He wants to draw a line under
the excesses of the last ten years.
Which ones? Private contractors
ripping off the American public.
And that's been bad news
for a couple of
the Prime Minister's friends.
Tell me one thing.
Is Johnny Worricker
mixed up in this?
Of course.
And is he still on the loose?
He's in Germany. He was in Switzerland,
with a... former intelligence officer.
A woman?
We have real hopes of
bringing them home. Soon?
Very. Nearly had them this morning.
An agent was out running.
But? We lost them.
How?
Incompetence.
So, meanwhile, you're offering me
an inside track?
You have it.
For what reason?
For the obvious reason. Because
you're Beasley's natural successor.
Hardly. Not at the moment I'm not.
Not while my husband's all over
the papers.
We can deal with that.
You can deal with the British
press in full cry?
I don't see why not.
At MI5 we've never had any
problem with the press.
Really?
Politics is fair game,
national security isn't.
They're like all bullies,
they don't like being bullied back.
My whole point, the closer you get
to us, the easier your life will be.
If I agree to this...
channel, what's going to happen?
I'm going to call you
and we're going to meet.
Where?
In this room. When?
Whenever we need to.
One thing, do your colleagues know
what you're doing?
No. Do yours?
Here, I got you these.
Herrings. The ones you like.
Your favourites. I'm going
to make a salad.
OK. I'm going to go for a walk.
After lunch? Yes. Do you want me to
come with you?
Great idea, and double the risk?
I got you this.
It's at the local museum.
From Raphael to Dali.
It started last month.
It's not too late to join.
Aren't you interested?
Of course I'm interested.
Well?
I started one art class in Lausanne.
I started another in Heidelberg.
I'm tired of starting things
I don't get to finish.
Margot, we both know the rules.
Keep our minds active.
Exactly. Keep doing things.
Oh, God is that your idea
of making a salad?
Sorry.
Here. Can't I send
you on a salad-making course?
That'll keep your mind active.
We can retire and grow lettuces
in Suffolk and you can practice.
This is all an attempt to break us.
Think of it that way.
We're feeling like prisoners,
that's how they want us to feel.
And do we have to stay relentlessly cheerful?
All the time? Once or twice can't we be moody?
You can be moody.
Gherkins. Another thing you like.
"Essigurke speziell fur
Feinschmecker."
I remember one thing about spying.
What's that? What do you remember?
What do I remember?
Spies work alone.
Julianne? Yes? It's Margot.
Hey - where are you now?
Don't tell me. Is everything all right? Yes,
it's fine. I haven't heard from Dad for weeks.
Well, no. He can't call you,
he's frightened. And I shouldn't.
But I couldn't resist.
It's kind of you.
Don't be silly.
I'm glad one of you cares.
We both care. It's just
Johnny's in an impossible position.
He's been in impossible positions
since the day I was born.
He thrives on them.
How big are you?
I'm big.
I'm due in a couple of months.
How's it going with Jez?
Oh, day by day. Life with a DJ.
Gets in when I'm getting up.
Are you living together?
Almost. Not quite.
Otherwise?
I'm superstitious.
I don't quite dare. But it does feel
like this time I fell on my feet.
I just don't want to push it too
far.
It's lovely to hear your voice,
Julianne.
I'll call you again. I don't know
when but I will. Margot? Yes?
Take care of yourself.
What? Seen this? You
know who wrote it?
I have this strange feeling, she's been
talking to our brothers in Millbank.
How do you know that?
I don't. I sense it. How?
Because that's how she came to us. From the BBC,
remember? She broke the Jake Pierpan story.
That peacenik with
the drippy sister.
Have you ever asked yourself why
the sainted Allegra got that story?
Or, more interesting,
why did they give it to her?
Maybe she's just a
virgin who got lucky.
Yeah, right. I wonder,
would you take her out for a drink?
If they're using us,
let's see if we can use them.
All right, let's get going.
Ted, one thing. The diary story.
Scan the Internet to see if it spreads.
Do it yourself, no one's to know.
Yes, sir, I'm sorry, I
thought you said to ignore it.
We are ignoring it.
I also want you to keep me informed.
You're back. Nice walk?
Yes. Sweet town, isn't it?
Yeah. Very sweet.
Bath, only in Germany
and more genteel.
I didn't know what you wanted to do
this evening. What do you want to do?
You could go to a movie.
Do you want me to cook supper?
You don't have to entertain me,
you know. Yeah, I know.
I was two years in Belfast,
never spoke to a soul, remember?
I'm perfectly happy being unhappy,
if you know what I mean.
You're very unfair.
Unfair. How?
About my cooking. Oh.
Years ago, remember?
I made you a carbonara.
How could I forget?
You made me a Milanese.
I'll make you another.
They were good times.
They are good times.
When we move, we're going to move so
fast you're not going to believe it.
Oh, I think I will.
How kind, thank you.
You're the first person in the
office even to admit I exist.
It's a newspaper.
You'll get used to it.
Yeah, but the
editor's something, isn't she?
You only have power if you don't give a
bugger. Belinda doesn't give a bugger.
That's what makes her special. When
politicians ask her to lunch, she doesn't go.
Let's face it, you can only do a job properly
if you're not frightened to lose it.
Are you trying to tell me something?
No, I'm trying to ask you something.
What? What are you asking?
Whether you work for
the security services.
Or whether your boyfriend does.
If I have a boyfriend.
Whether you've been planted on us.
Is this a serious question?
Like that story this morning.
What about it?
Where did you get it?
It's not a bed thing, is it?
One of two possibilities.
A bed thing or a family thing.
I'm going to lay a thousand
to one its family.
Why?
Because when a journalist goes out on a limb, it's
always family. Daddy works in intelligence, does he?
No.
Is he with the dumb ones in Millbank
or with the clever ones in Vauxhall?
And I'm not out on a limb.
What are you planning
to do with the story?
I'm not sure. I haven't decided.
You haven't decided?
OK. You don't spell it out,
you leave it for the reader to
join the dots, but you're implying
the Prime Minister takes money
from dodgy businessmen who fall in
the sea in mysterious circumstances.
And you haven't decided?
What does the look mean?
I'm trying to work out if you're a great deal
stupider than you appear, or a great deal cleverer.
Hello? Allegra? Rollo.
Are you at home? Yes.
Go to your computer, you'll find
something which moves the story on.
It'd be great if it could
go in tonight.
Rollo... Yes?
I'm getting frightened. People are
asking questions. What people?
The editor sent a journalist to
take me out for a drink.
That's great. That's exactly what we want.
Who did she send? Freddy Lagarde.
Oh, Freddy. Did he take your virtue?
For a Pinot Grigio?
People have done it for less.
One thing, get a new phone.
As from this morning, your name is out there. Always
assume someone is listening. And, Allegra? Yes?
Hold your nerve. With luck, there's
going to be a lot more of this.
You've endured weeks of headlines,
do you really believe you can
hold on as Deputy Prime Minister?
To be honest,
I see no reason I shouldn't.
I stand up for my husband,
I don't stand in for him.
Yes, but if he does appear in Kiev
on charges of bribing
government officials...
It's a very different
culture from our own.
And, by the way,
if people do have questions of him,
then I'm confident Bill's going to
have perfectly satisfactory answers.
But can you be sure of that?
Do you know, as a
matter of fact, I can.
Well, I think this has been a very
worthwhile evening.
It's good for the cabinet to meet
informally for a change.
Kick some ideas around.
We appreciate you coming in, Anthea.
Things must be heavy on your plate.
If things can be heavy on a plate.
Full on my plate.
Yes. Yes. Loaded.
It has been an ordeal, hasn't it?
Yes. But you are bearing up.
I wonder what you feel about that item in the
Independent this morning, Prime Minister.
What item was that? I don't think I saw it,
did I? Remind me. You didn't see it, sir.
You have time to read the Independent, do
you, Jock? Justice must be very under-worked.
It put up a red flag.
I'm amazed no one in your office
picked up on it.
Anthea, did you see it?
No. I've no idea what
he is talking about.
I'll tell you what it's about.
It said some of the people financing
the Bridge have dubious backgrounds.
Did it? It seems to be implying they're
not above murdering each other.
Well, that's the way the world is. There's always
someone who can't wait to fling a bucket of mud.
Get used to it.
I'll take a look at it.
Let's get out of here.
Oh, err... Worricker?
OK, this is going to be very simple. The simpler we
keep it the better. It's not going to be difficult.
It's going to suit me,
then, that's what you're saying.
We pick up cars.
OK. From different cities.
OK. This is your Europcar card.
Thank you. This is a map with a
route, I've marked it.
You return the car as designated.
Usual drill.
Except this time we stay separate.
Credit card. Passport.
Ah... Excellent. Who am I this time?
You're joking.
I liked it. It made me laugh.
And who are you? Cilla Black?
You don't need to know.
And, by the way, I've wanted to say this but
I haven't said it. What haven't you said?
I wanted to tell you, I minded it
when you looked at my phone.
When you checked my calls.
I hated that.
Well, then I won't be
doing that again.
And also, just asking,
how was my daughter?
Julianne? Julianne's fine.
You're up.
Mm hm. Yeah. Are you OK?
I'm fine.
I was just reading this stuff about
Beasley. What a dag.
Dag? Yeah. Dag's the stuff that
hangs off the end of a sheep.
You like him that much? I just don't
like people who invent threats
to justify doing what they wanted to
do all along.
Look at that face. He looks like a
Russian mobster.
You don't think this
country's under threat?
On the contrary. It's because I take
real threats seriously
that I don't want to be blackmailed
by phony ones.
Politicians who cry wolf are
the most dangerous kind.
I'm interested,
how can you know so much about it?
I'm interested. How can you not?
Sometimes I feel I really don't
know anything about you.
Don't you? No. No I don't.
But I'd like to.
Well, you'll
have plenty of time to find out.
Here is the phone.
Danke.
Good luck.
I hope you're moving.
We are. I just said goodbye to her.
Good.
As a matter of interest, who told
you today was the day to get going?
Because, believe it or not,
I still have some friends.
I'm amazed.
Johnny, you'd be even more amazed
if you knew how many people
in Millbank are rooting for you.
Good afternoon.
I believe you may have a car for me.
Do you speak English? We do.
My German is rusty.
Marsden? OK.
Gerry Marsden.
Do you mind?
I guessed you were English.
Where are you going?
You don't mind me asking? Erm...
back to school. I'm a teacher.
Where? Where?
I was asking, where do you teach?
I'm sorry... I'm tired.
I need to sleep.
You're well loaded up.
Isn't that what the continent's for?
We all love a booze cruise.
..the Arsenal,
unto victory, yeah!
We all follow the Arsenal! Over...
Thank you
Miss Springfield.
Thank you
Ah, you must be Belinda Kay.
Yes, I am.
How kind of you to see me.
How are you?
And who are you?
I'm the man who telephoned.
Yes, of course you are.
24 bottles of wine.
Thank you. How thoughtful.
Because I'm a journalist
I must be alcoholic?
You've come from abroad?
Erm... I hope you like Bourgueil.
Well, aren't you the welcome guest?
Come this way.
Goodness, this is quite imposing.
Hey! Hey.
This is Barry.
He's my boyfriend,
or some such thing...
Hi. Barry.
I was just making some tea.
You're going to have to hop it.
Sorry? This is confidential.
Hop it!
You never saw this man.
He doesn't exist.
He's none too bright.
Come through.
Or perhaps you'd prefer whisky.
Not right now, I need a clear head.
Look, first of all I want
to thank you
for all your paper's done already.
It's been a wonderful job.
Do you know how lonely that
makes an editor feel?
You run a story
and no-one else touches it.
I'm hoping we can change that.
People have low expectations.
You'd be surprised - Beasley's
feathering his nest, so what?
He's got disreputable friends. So?
He's a politician.
I'm hoping to make the story
a little more specific than that.
A newspaper's not a blog, you know.
I know that.
It's not just whatever you think, or
whatever anyone happens to tell you.
There are editorial protocols.
Have you ever heard of them?
Of course.
I'm hoping to satisfy those.
And somehow you're going to do that
without telling me your name?
Unlikely.
The girl's a plant, isn't she?
No, I don't think so.
If you mean Allegra.
The one with the damask cheek.
She of the butter-wouldn't-melt
brigade.
Allegra isn't a plant,
she's a conduit.
As a matter of fact, she's
the niece of a colleague of mine.
Well, there you are.
That's England, one big family.
And I suppose now she's served her
purpose it's time to move on to me.
All right, go ahead.
Make your pitch.
I don't know much you know about
Britain's intelligence service...
Funny.
I had a feeling
you might start there.
Well, the last ten years have
been kind of bumpy.
It used to be very
clear who the enemy was.
And so also it was
clear what the job was.
And then? And then we got caught
out.
Trouble came from
an unexpected direction.
Or rather it started
coming from every direction.
Suddenly we were told we were meant
to be fighting a worldwide movement.
And weren't you?
Let's just say we got a bit
careless about distinguishing
between people who would like to
do terrible things
and people who were
actually doing them.
We became indiscriminate
about the methods we used.
It was dog eat dog.
The only problem is, we're not dogs.
Is "indiscriminate methods"
a euphemism for torture?
Torture's just part of an apparatus.
An apparatus of bad practice,
which is out of control
and which I don't believe is helping
anyone, least of all us.
Meanwhile, politicians
want to cut corners. Sure.
Alec Beasley's been trying to
reorganise the service.
Reorganise it? And bypass it.
His mind's made up
and the facts don't bother him.
Well that's his right, isn't it?
After all, he won a couple of
elections. He certainly did.
Because people like his strength.
He has a mandate. That is democracy.
And, speaking for myself,
I have a great deal more faith
in someone I've elected than some
disgruntled intelligence officer -
I'm assuming that's what you are -
who arrives at my house
with two cases of wine
and an outsized grievance.
I'm too young, but you may remember a
prime minister called Harold Wilson.
I do remember him.
Didn't the security services spend
a great deal of effort
trying to get rid of him?
I don't think that's ever
been proved.
I didn't ask if it was proved,
I asked if it were true.
And I'm not trying to get
rid of Beasley. Aren't you?
No. I'm trying to put
the facts in front of the public.
You're a very plausible fellow,
aren't you, whatever your name is.
Remember, I'm a rat-catcher myself.
It takes one to know one.
And everything you say stinks
to high heaven.
Tell me why.
No editor likes to be used.
You may be burning to bring
down a prime minister, but I'm not.
That's not my intention.
All I'm trying to do
is throw a little light
on some of his activities.
Oh, I see, this is assisted killing,
is it?
You put the pill in the hand
but you don't put it in the mouth.
No. You leave that to us.
I mean, just one more question -
aren't you rather over-stretching
your remit? I don't think so.
I thought you were meant to gather
secrets, not give them away.
So far, I don't remember giving
you any secrets. I thought you did.
No. Everything you've been told has
been on the public record. Truly?
Only, just like most
newspapers nowadays,
you've lacked the diligence
to go out and find it.
Or maybe the motivation?
All right, these are the facts.
Great. Let's hear them.
The Prime Minister is linked to
a series of interlocking charities
which are partly financed by a firm
called Gladstone.
Gladstone has built an international
complex of detention camps
which don't officially exist
and for which they've therefore
been able to overcharge.
Now you're telling me something new.
The American government
has put pressure on them
to get some of its money back.
A great deal of pressure.
And have they succeeded?
That's something you're going
to have to look into.
That's an interesting story,
I'm sure we'll want to cover it.
We all love laughing at the Yanks,
but I still don't see how that
reflects on Alec Beasley. Don't you?
No.
I'll tell you.
But if I do,
I'll be crossing a line.
What sort of line? The secret line.
I need to know
you're at peace with that.
Shouldn't that question be
directed at you?
Very well.
It's going to be hard to unpick,
because Beasley's affairs
are tangled up in companies
owned by Stirling Rogers.
But I can promise you,
somewhere there's a paper trail
which leads directly back
from the building of the camps
to the Prime Minister's
own personal finances.
Really?
Yeah.
I wonder...
Would you be interested
in staying to eat?
Miss Tankard?
Yes?
It's Amber Page. We've got Margot.
How? Luck. Pure luck.
One of our people
got on a train at Frankfurt.
He was on holiday,
he wasn't even working.
Listen, here's the good news -
she's heading home.
Where is she?
She's getting in
at Stansted from Paris.
We've got people waiting?
They're in place.
And him? No. He's not with her.
But it's all right.
One thing I can promise is he won't
be without her for very long.
Keep in touch.
'Amber.' Yeah?
'It's Jez.' Where are you?
I'm alone. I haven't got long.
Julianne's forgotten her phone.
'And?' You remember that call?
The one from Margot?
Of course. Last week. That's it.
'Unidentified caller.'
Yes, the office has broken it.
You've got Margot's number? We do.
Jez, I've got good news. We've also
got Margot Tyrell in person.
'She's heading back to the UK.'
Good. Then we're in business.
Text me that number. 'I've done it.'
Hold on, I have to go.
Jez?
Are you awake?
Ah good,
welcome to Barry's running buffet.
He's perfect, isn't he?
Heaven to live with.
We lack for nothing.
Thank you, Barry.
My pleasure.
I'm afraid you're going to have
to leave us again.
The coriander goes with the chicken
and the dressing
goes with the rocket.
Don't worry, we'll manage.
Enjoy!
You have everything.
And you?
Friends and family?
None of my business,
but you seem rather sad.
I'm not sad. It's just...
I suppose I was doing a job I loved
and now it's been taken away.
You're an editor,
I imagine it's pretty good fun.
And you were a spy.
Correct.
And you're wondering,
"If I'm not a spy...
"then what am I?"
Shall we get back
to the matter in hand?
There's a rule of thumb
with this kind of campaign.
What do they say? "It's never
the crime, it's the cover-up."
Well, there isn't a cover-up yet.
We haven't got that far.
Right,
so we have to force him into one.
We have to ask him questions
which he can't answer.
Do you know
what those questions are?
The other rule is, as you say,
a campaign isn't a campaign if it's
only been picked up by one paper.
No-one else is going to touch it
until they have to.
Well, then we'd better make sure
the questions are good.
Thanks, guys.
You ARE good at this.
Thank you.
Why don't you have a jacket?
Obviously cos I'm not as good
as you are. Where are we going?
To a safe house.
Good afternoon.
I'm an old friend of Johnny's.
How nice to meet you.
We were at Cambridge together.
Goodness.
Yes. Oh, yes. Johnny was
a very real loss to theology.
Can I leave her in your hands,
Padre? Of course you can.
Sorry, but I've to get back to work.
Talk soon.
It's the Church's
traditional function.
The thing we've done best
for two thousand years -
provide sanctuary.
..sweet chariot
Coming for to carry me home
Swing low, sweet chariot
Coming for to carry me home.
What the hell's going on?
It's a celebration.
That I can see.
We've been told tomorrow
the charges are going to be dropped.
Dropped?
All of them?
The Ukrainian court has decided
it's not in the public interest
to proceed.
Meaning what?
Meaning someone's done a deal?
I guess.
What sort of deal? A trade deal?
What sort of trade?
What is it always?
Weapons, of course. Arms.
It's always arms.
With one bound I'm free.
Get those men out of my house.
Jill?
Yes?
We need to meet. Urgently.
Yes, of course.
You know what's happening to Bill?
I told you, didn't I?
Stick close to us.
'I need to be clear.
Is this your doing?'
Anthea, can I say something?
It's one thing to go around
saying what you want.
The test comes when you're actually
given the chance to get it.
'That's when you're tested.'
When they wanted to get rid
of Margaret Thatcher,
John Major got toothache so he
didn't have to answer his phone.
A week later, he was Prime Minister.
How are your teeth?
Just beginning to ache.
Good. I'm glad to hear it.
You see him often?
Hmm, when he's in trouble.
But you know how Johnny is.
Once you're his friend,
you're his friend for ever.
He's loyal, above all things.
But you know that.
Yes. We were together a long time.
He wasn't threatened by me.
The stronger I was,
the more he liked it.
That's rare.
Good for him.
You know him well?
I helped him
through some difficult days.
When he was a student,
he loved the idea of faith.
The life of the church.
So someone had to point out
that he didn't actually believe.
And that was you?
Hm.
And he didn't?
No. He wanted to.
More than anything.
But, sadly, that's not
the same thing.
Thank you.
No, thank you.
Barry, good night.
Come on, Stirling.
Your backhand's normally terrific.
What the hell's going on?
My mind's elsewhere, sorry.
I need you to give me a game.
Do you want to play properly?
Cos if you don't play properly
there's no point in playing.
Oh, come on, Stirling,
you can do better than that.
All right, you know what this is.
No, I don't.
You bloody well do!
Ah... it's that again, is it?
I've reached a decision.
Alec, I'm roadkill.
I don't mean a thing.
Lose me, you lose nothing.
Think, the press are after us.
It's only a question of time.
So I issue a statement...
No.
It's simple, "Everything I've done,
I've done in good faith.
"My only interest has been
in safeguarding
"the Prime Minister's legacy."
Stirling, no!
However, unknown to you -
and this is the crucial part -
unknown to you, "I took money
from certain people in the States."
No...
But why not? It's a clean cut.
You know what it sounds like.
Unknown to me
you took dodgy money and I'm
so stupid I didn't even know.
Alec, you know where this is going.
No, I don't.
It's going where every
political scandal always goes.
The press doesn't give a fuck
about the issues,
they just want a kill.
Clearly.
Well, here I am.
I'm offering myself.
No. And for one very good reason -
if I go, the screaming's over.
But it doesn't work like that.
Then how does it work?
If you give them fresh blood
then they always want more.
Now, a week ago you told me
this wasn't important.
A week ago it wasn't! Well!
Jesus! Everything I do
I do for my country.
Oh, and that makes it all right?
What did you say?
Nothing.
Stirling, are you going weak on me?
No.
Are you going soft?
No.
I'm the only person who takes
this threat seriously.
I take it seriously. If you saw
the files, if you saw the evidence,
I can't show you the stuff
that I am seeing,
but the intelligence is frightening,
it is!
And people have a choice -
help me, or help them.
And now we're being told,
keep our hands tied behind our backs
while they kick our lights out!
"Stick to the rules."
Bring on the lawyers,
is that what you want?
No. What I want is for you
to survive.
I want you to be Prime Minister
at this time next week.
That's what I want.
No, they won't get me.
I'm ahead of them.
Always have been.
Always will be.
I'm sorry, sir.
You really are needed.
That's the whole point, do you see?
They want both things.
Like children. They need me
and they resent me. Both things.
Before you do anything,
speak to me first.
Ted...
'The situation is quiet clear,
everyone knows what's going on.
'For days now, the Prime Minister
has been evading our questions.
'We have to conclude he is not
answering because he can't.
'There are five questions
we have asked the Prime Minister
'that he has to answer.
'If he can't answer them, he should
say so, and he should say so now.
'If he can
and there is a simple explanation,
'then no-one is going to be happier
than The Independent.'
So... what do you think?
He's wounded.
Fatally?
Have you seen the five questions?
I have.
"Has the Prime Minister met with
Church and Bethwaite?
"Did the Prime Minister know
the murdered man?
"Did the Prime Minister know
of their donations to the Bridge?
"Was the Prime Minister aware
of a network of
"illegal detention centres
built by Gladstone?
"Has the Prime Minister benefited
personally from Gladstone?"
They're not bad questions.
Has he said anything?
In private? In cabinet?
He's refusing, on the grounds
of national security.
Ha! It's not going to wash.
Are you sure?
Certain. I've known from the start.
From the minute
I first saw the evidence.
Hm. I am going to have to rally
round him. Publicly.
If you feel it's necessary.
I do. Very much so.
Be careful.
Careful of what?
Your own future.
Meaning?
Hostages to fortune.
How everything will look in a week.
How's Bill?
He's fine.
You're not going to divorce?
I'm not. Not yet.
Good. You shouldn't.
I won't.
Good.
Why do you ask?
What's that phrase about
getting your ducks in a row?
I-I'll take one more question.
I hope I have already made
everything clear.
I have returned all money received
from Gladstone and I have personally
resigned from the foundation
to leave its reputation unharmed.
At all times, Alec Beasley has been
separated from the day-to-day
activities... No... of The Bridge
and any criticism regarding
funding falls on me alone.
He shouldn't have done it.
He didn't need to.
He said he was going to
talk to me first.
Perhaps he found the pressure
unbearable.
Pressure? Pressure is like whiplash,
it doesn't exist.
'I'm not in any way admitting
liability or even error.
'I want to be clear about that.
On the other hand...'
I've made my decision.
We still need to find Worricker.
Until we find him,
we're not out of this yet.
It's eerie.
It's quiet, yes.
Can we turn on the news?
We heard it an hour ago.
So?
I wouldn't do that.
Why not?
It's the road to destruction.
Gosh. Hm.
You always look out for me.
Always.
Where's Bernard?
He's saying Matins.
Oh, no doubt alone.
He doesn't mind.
He's talking to God.
He doesn't care
if anyone's listening.
Why are you smiling?
I know you better than
anyone knows you, Johnny.
I know where you're heading.
I can see your endgame.
Rollo?
He's gone. Who's gone? Stirling Rogers.
Rogers has gone. What happened?
He's giving a press conference,
saying the whole thing's his fault.
Better still, he's saying
the Prime Minister knew nothing.
Yes! He's walking into the trap,
it appears.
You trust it? You think
we've got him? Let's hope so.
Margot, don't touch it! I've got to go. Why not?
You don't know who it's from. It's Julianne.
It's not safe, leave it, we should have
destroyed it! Margot? Yes, it's me.
'I need to see you. Desperately. Are you in
the country? Something terrible's happened.'
Julianne, is the baby all right?
'Yes, yes, but can you tell Dad'
I need to see him?
Yes, of course I will.
And he must call immediately
before you get here. Promise me.
Don't worry. We're on our way.
See you soon.
OK, we're in business,
it's good, I think we've got 'em.
Where are they?
We've got a signal.
I'll know more in a minute
but it seems to be Kent.
Johnny, we have to go.
Julianne says it's serious...
Hold on a minute, give me a time to
think... There is no time to think.
She said, "Can you tell Dad
I need to see him?"
Margot, we need to be careful.
Johnny, it's your daughter!
I'm concerned that
the phone isn't safe!
Oh, fuck the phone!
We can't go together!
What difference does it make? When Julianne
calls, you go. Do you have a problem with that?
How long have you been
working on this?
Four months.
Just the four?
Exactly.
OK, good, here we go.
Here is the location.
Let's get going.
I vehemently reject all allegations.
But, I don't understand,
if you're innocent of everything,
why do you have to resign?
Yep.
Finally we've got them. Again.
Where are they?
He's in a rectory in Kent.
But he's coming into town
to see his daughter.
Then please baby them in.
I'm sorry?
I don't want anyone
moving towards them.
I've been working on this
for months.
I know. I thought the idea was we were
meant to be trying to catch them.
We are. But don't detain them.
Keep them under surveillance.
Keep your distance. That's an order.
Nobody's to go near them
until they get an order from me.
I don't believe this.
If there was any offence,
it's just from caring too much.
Julianne...
Margot.
You were right. You were right
to call us... It's Jez.
Jez? Yes. How do you know? I've suspected for
weeks. Well then, why didn't you tell me?
Why didn't I tell you?
Why do you think?
Because you never ring!
And also, sorry,
I don't want to live like that.
Being suspicious of everyone.
Jesus! Do I ever get a life
that's not about you?
"What does your father do?"
"Oh, I can't say,
he's in the civil service."
As long as I can remember -
"What's Dad doing?" "Don't know.
"Can't say." You ruined mum's life.
That's ridiculous!
You ruin the life of everyone
you're close to.
I was in love with him!
You've never known what that means.
Human drama.
She doesn't seem happy.
He did really work as a DJ?
Yes.
He did really play in the evenings?
Yes. Everything else was a lie.
Like he said he'd be here
for the birth... Julianne...
Which he won't. And never had
any intention of being.
OK. Right from the start!
Julianne... Just leave me.
Please...
Every time she moves
she gets closer to us.
Can you hear anything?
No. Lip-read.
Don't come near me! Don't touch me!
"And then when she's calm,
I'll have dealt with her."
That's not fair.
Why don't you just say, "Julianne,
I'm sorry, this is my fault?"
Julianne, I know it's my fault!
Good!
Why do you think I'm in agony?!
Oh!
Oh, you're in agony? Oh, really?
Great. And for how long?
He's standing there.
Why can't we move in?
Can anyone tell me what's going on?
Yeah? Where are you?
I'm in London. I can't explain.
It's a mess.
Sorry, comrade,
but we need to jump five stages.
I've just had a very interesting
call. Who from?
I'll give you a number.
You need to call it because he's
ahead of us. He's nine miles ahead.
Is this who I think it is?
10 Downing Street.
'My name is Worricker. I think
you'll find, if you tell him,
'the Prime Minister will want
to have a word with me.'
What name again?
'Johnny Worricker.'
Hold on, will you please?
Mr Finch, there's a man on the line
called Johnny Worricker...
Yes, thank you,
please put him through.
'Hello, who am I speaking to?'
Is that you, Mr Worricker?
Yes. 'Good.'
'I'm sure the Prime Minister would
like you to come in immediately.'
Come in?
To Downing Street.
'Good.'
Are you far away?
Not at all. Less than a minute.
But just one thing.
Could you come in the back?
My name is Johnny Worricker,
I'm expected.
OK, sir.
Ah... here you are at last.
Prime Minister.
The missing piece of the jigsaw.
You can leave us.
How was your spell as an emigre?
Disconcerting.
I'm sure.
I needed to see you one more time.
Me too.
Please...
We had a good talk in Cambridge
six months ago.
But then you went off and did
the very opposite of what I asked.
You defied me.
Sir, if I may...
Carry on.
I accept in the circumstances
that I'm fair game. Of course.
But my daughter's flat is
being bugged.
An M15 operative seduced her
when she was already pregnant.
My daughter isn't fair game.
Go after me, don't go after her.
I agree.
I'm sorry...?
You're right. Mutual hysteria.
Isn't it time it was defused?
I'll tell you what
I've been thinking -
I've accomplished pretty much
all I set out to do.
We've modernised the country
and we may even
have alerted its people
to some of the dangers they face.
I don't understand.
Are you resigning?
You're not getting my scalp,
if that's what you hope.
I'm not moving out, I'm moving up.
It's Iran we have to deal with now.
And I'm not fussy about
what platform I work from.
Perhaps a sympathetic American
president means more to me
than an ambivalent
British electorate.
You're planning to move on
to another job?
Correct. What job is that?
Consul General to Iran.
I run the peace talks.
Peace?
Well... preferably peace.
Answering to whom?
Financed by the Americans,
but given cover by the UN.
Forgive me, I'm not sure
you're going to be able
to cut free as easily as that.
Aren't you? No.
Is that a threat?
Not at all.
Tell me,
are you running a campaign?
Because that's how it looks.
A single intelligence officer
determined to stop me.
What are you?
A loose cannon?
A traitor?
Well, then, what are you doing?
Judiciously pointing out
the dangers. Such as?
There's a new boss at the CIA.
Yes, you're right.
With new plans.
Wants to make a clean break.
The president's already
had a word with him.
I think you'll find any future
CIA investigation
into private contractors will get
bogged down pretty quickly.
People don't like
investigating each other,
because they are aware that later
they may be investigated themselves.
If you talk to the President,
you'll find he's pretty clear
on the subject.
After all, one day he's going to be
an ex-President too.
And here? Here?
Yes. In the UK?
You don't think
you face problems here?
I don't see any.
My favoured successor is hardly
likely to waste her first
hundred days digging too deeply into
the financial affairs of the Bridge.
To what end? Anthea's experiencing
a period of personal good fortune.
Maybe you read about it?
When it comes to sleeping dogs,
Anthea's the kind
who'll let them lie.
What is it they say?
"The Establishment always wins."
You should know that.
You're a distinguished member
of the Establishment yourself.
What did you think
we were going to do?
Bleach you?
We don't bleach people in England.
No home. No bank account.
No security. No way of life,
100% surveillance.
You know the drill.
You've done it to others,
now we'll do it to you.
What are you offering?
Good question.
An amnesty?
Johnny...
..in the last few years, the
government moved at a certain speed
because we faced
an overwhelming threat.
This is the real world.
There's always a tension
between aims and means.
Maybe even a contradiction.
I'll live with that.
The question is, can you?
We need your silence.
I'm to be silent about lawlessness?
Permanently and guaranteed.
You've got to think what that means.
I've thought about it a great deal.
You make a deal, you go back on it.
In my world, you only do that once.
Now, if you'll forgive me,
I have to go to the Palace.
I'd offer you a lift
but you might be conspicuous.
Anyway, I imagine you have to report
to that crapulous Scot in the park.
I don't report to him. No?
You say you'd like your daughter
left alone. I would.
And your girlfriend too,
I should think.
She's a very interesting woman,
isn't she?
This one really is something
more than run of the mill.
You're a lucky man, aren't you?
You never seem to suffer
for your mistakes.
What a gift.
We're both cats
who fall on our feet. Ted!
Mr Worricker's leaving.
We won't be seeing him again.
So, what's happening?
He's quitting.
Quitting?
He moves on to Iran. Promotion.
Promotion -
is that what he's calling it?
This doesn't feel like a victory.
Why does it not feel like a victory?
Obvious. Because I don't think
we've ever been in control.
You're to call Jill Tankard.
She wants to see you. Where?
Wherever you say. She knows
I'm with you? Seems to.
Well, yeah, of course.
That fits. We've been used.
All the time they've known
everything. Are you going to go?
I don't know. I'm trying to get hold
of Julianne. She not answering. Fuck!
I'm trying Margot.
I left them together.
Shit!
Johnny? Yes?
If you do see Jill,
could you do me a favour?
Try and get me back in.
Welcome back.
I heard you had
a nice time with Alec.
Jill. It's a shame
you two never got close.
They always say it's difficult
if two men are too alike.
One of those boys'
love-hate things, is it?
It's happening. Now.
Even as we speak.
What is? He's seeing the Queen.
You must be pleased.
Why? Well, wasn't it your idea
to bring him down?
It's interesting
you should say that.
As a matter of fact, Jill,
I rather thought it was yours.
Ah, Mr Worricker we haven't seen you
for such a long time.
I've missed you too.
We still have a bottle of scotch
in the back.
Do you mind fetching it?
I tell you, I had my suspicions
for quite a long time.
Really? I noticed
things were strangely easy.
As if our paths were being smoothed.
I mean, the choice of Amber Page...
What about her?
Never our most brilliant agent,
was she?
She did the job.
Yeah, badly.
Amber did her best.
Yes. That's what I mean.
And that business in Kiev...
Kiev, yes.
..had your fingerprints all over it.
You think so? You liked that,
did you? I liked it,
I wasn't sure
why Beasley had agreed to it.
It wasn't in his interest. I didn't
ask. I didn't need to.
How did you do that? I've been
a long time in Whitehall, remember?
I'm a data bank, Johnny.
And, please, don't make this out
to be some sort of coup.
Why? Wasn't it?
No. I wouldn't dream of messing
with the electorate's wishes.
That's way above my pay grade.
What would you call it then?
All I did was make
some preparations.
That's all I did
for an orderly hand-over.
As any good democrat would.
That's very good. Thank you.
I smoothed the way.
I made what would have been
difficult, easy.
What I don't understand,
why did you do it?
Beasley was on your side. Your whole
life, you owe him everything.
He was the one who put you in place.
Why did I do it? Yes. Simple.
Same reason as you.
Johnny, I saw the evidence.
When I saw the evidence,
I knew he was finished.
Ah, thank you, you're very kind.
It belonged to Mr Baron.
We didn't know what to do with it.
We all loved Mr Baron.
I'll look after it, thank you.
I miss him.
We all miss him.
Looking back at the events
of the past few years,
I don't think either of us has been
wholly right or wrong.
Life doesn't work like that,
does it?
I can see your point of view
and I suspect that you can see mine.
You know what I want for you?
I've got a fair idea.
You're the best intelligence analyst
I ever met.
And I'm the best administrator.
The new prime minister's coming in
with warm feelings towards
the intelligence services.
You've made sure of that.
Yes. After what I've done for her,
these are going to be golden years.
We get everything we want.
I'd like you to join me.
You're forgetting.
I've got other obligations.
People depend on me.
What sort of people?
My daughter.
I can promise, come back to work,
she won't be troubled again.
Rollo. Well, I'm sure we can bring
him back into the fucking fold.
And most important of all...
there's Margot.
Ah, yes, Margot.
Are you hugging that scotch
to yourself?
Hasn't worked out, has it, Johnny?
What makes you say that?
Oh, come on, I mean, give us some credit,
please. We are professionals.
You love falling in love, don't you?
Just, not so good at being in it.
Come back to Millbank
and you're going to be able to
make her a very attractive offer.
What offer is that?
For the rest of her life,
she's going to be able to walk down
the street and not look behind her.
That's not nothing, Johnny.
I have a feeling
she's going to take it.
You don't know her.
Oh, I think I do.
I am going to keep
this statement brief.
I've always said I would leave
office at a time of my own choosing
and only when I had finished the job
I was elected to do.
This is that time.
I leave you strong
and I leave you secure.
Congratulations!
You just brought down a government.
Did I really? I know someone did
but I'm not sure who.
Any MP will tell you that the most
important people in their life
are the people who elect them.
Shall we go out and celebrate?
All right.
I'll finish the story,
then, yes, let's go and get drunk.
What are you doing?
I was going to leave you a note.
What kind of note?
A goodbye note.
You knew it was coming.
I feared it, but I didn't know.
Where's Julianne?
She's at the hospital.
What? It's all right.
She doesn't want you to go.
All right? Why is it all right?
Because her mother's with her.
It's going to be a long labour.
Can I call?
No. She's still angry.
She says you can call
in the morning.
Then I will.
And you? Where are you heading?
Oh. A start-up in Hong Kong.
Really? Yeah.
Well...
that's... that's a long way.
Yeah, well, I've been approached.
A guy I knew through Stirling.
He wants to sell clothes
on the internet.
He sees a gap in the market.
Does he have a lot of money?
Not a penny.
That's why he needs someone smart.
Margot, I made you a lot of promises
back in Turks & Caicos.
I want to keep them.
Say the word and I will.
I knew when it came down to it,
you'd always want to go back to work.
What, I just walk away
from everything, do I?
Is that the right thing to do?
I don't think so.
These days, everyone feels
powerless, I understand that.
That's what they want you to feel.
But if we don't fight, who will?
Johnny, you know these people.
They slide around,
they have nothing solid.
For them, it's simply
one day to the next.
They believe what they have to
and then when the time comes,
they believe something else.
For them nothing is ever at stake.
Look, I know what you're saying,
but even so,
if it's what you want
I can get you back in.
I've watched you the last few
months. You're brilliant at it.
You love it. Yes.
But I love you more.
It was quite an adventure,
wasn't it?
Yes.
I wouldn't have missed it.
Me neither.
I wish we'd done more.
Oh, Johnny...
we did plenty.
I'm going in the morning.
Why don't you just leave?
I'll miss you.
Yes. I'll miss you too.
I just want to say,
it's far too early for me
to be making any decision
about the future.
I'm part of a family and I want
to talk to my family first.
Meanwhile, let's remember
Alec Beasley.
It's his night.
Let's leave it with him.
Well done. Big one now, big one.