I, Daniel Blake Page #9

---

All right, all right, all right.

What the f***'s going on? Eh?

You should be arresting the wankers

who came up with sanctions. Eh?

That preachy baldy c*nt. What's his name?

Ian Duncan f***ing what's-his-face.

Aye, and the posh d*cks in their mansions

who came up with the f***ing

bedroom tax for disabled...

Listen, youse are all gonna

be out of a f***ing job anyway.

Privatizing you, eh?

All the f***ing Tories, man.

Aye, members of the f***ing big club, eh.

F***ing posh Eton twats.

Sir Daniel f***ing Blake, pal!

Hey, should be a statue made for you, pal.

F***ing Sir Daniel Blake!

Yer a f***ing beauty!

Yay!

So, what happens now?

Right, this is a copy of the caution sheet.

Because you fully admitted the offences

and you've been of good

character in the past,

we're cautioning you for the offence

of criminal damage,

under Section Five of the Public Order Act.

But please remember

that these can come back

and haunt you if you re-offend.

So try to keep yourself out of trouble.

Aye.

- See him out, please.

- This way, Mr Blake.

Dan. Dan!

Come, I need to talk to you.

We called you loads of times.

Dan!

Mum's been so sad lately.

Why don't you speak to her?

Don't you have credit on the phone?

I see you.

We understand what happened to your heart.

Mum spoke to one of your neighbours.

We didn't know about it.

It's cold out here.

I'm freezing.

Please, Daisy, I'm not feeling very well.

I made you some couscous.

And Dylan sent you his lollipop.

He's really missing you, too.

Just go, Daisy, please.

Can I ask you one question, Dan?

Did you help us?

Suppose so.

So why can't I help you?

I'm sorry.

I'm sorry, Daisy.

I'm really sorry.

You know, I'm not usually a nervous person,

Katie, but I'm nervous about this.

It's only natural, Dan.

I just want it done, you know?

Yeah. Well, you're prepared.

You got all your papers.

You've got a good,

good person representing you.

And then when you're done,

you can come, come to dinner to celebrate.

The kids are really looking

forward to seeing you.

Hi, er, Daniel Blake. I've come for my appeal

for the reinstatement of my...

Employment and Support Allowance.

- Daniel, hi. Hello. Are you all right?

- Hello.

- Hi, I'm Katie. I'm a friend of Daniel's.

- Hi.

- You're here for support, yeah?

- Yeah.

Daniel, your appeal will be heard by

a legally qualified chairperson and a doctor.

- Aye, fingers crossed.

- Yeah...

If I lose this appeal,

I'm out on the streets.

Well, we've got some updated

reports here from your GP,

your own consultant and your

physiotherapist.

And they're all furious.

You're gonna win this, Dan.

I do this every week.

- I bet me life on it.

- I told ya.

Just be yourself,

answer the questions and relax.

I'm really confident.

D'you have any questions?

Well, I've got one or two things

I'd like to get off me chest.

- But will they listen?

- It's the least they can do.

And can I go in with him?

I'll certainly ask. Would you like her to?

- Yeah. Definitely, yeah.

- Yeah?

Okay, I'll certainly ask. No problem at all.

All right. Thank you.

My pleasure.

I'll just go and see what the score is.

- Yeah.

- Sounds good, don't it?

Look at them.

It's funny, they've got

my life in their hands.

Thanks, Katie, for coming.

Thank you for asking me.

You stubborn old bastard.

I think I'll go and freshen up, yeah?

All right.

Can somebody, er,

phone an ambulance, please? 9-9-9.

There's a guy collapsed in the toilet.

He's flat out.

Phone 9-9-9. Somebody, please.

Dan!

No! Dan!

Just had a heart attack.

Yeah, two breaths, please.

Oh, Dan!

- Just the two breaths...

- Is he breathing?

Oh, Dan.

Listen, we're trying to help

him as much as we can.

No, no, no, please keep going,

please keep going. Don't stop.

I'm afraid we've lost him.

No, don't say that,

please don't say that. No.

- No, please!

- I'm so sorry.

I'm sorry.

- Please...

- Where's the ambulance now?

- Please.

- No response at all.

Please. Please try again.

Erm...

They call this a "pauper's funeral"

because it's the cheapest slot, at 9:00.

But Dan wasn't a pauper to us.

He gave us things that money can't buy.

When he died, I found this on him.

He always used to write in pencil.

Erm...

And he wanted to read it at his appeal

but he never got the chance to.

And I swear that this lovely man,

had so much more to give,

and that the State drove him

to an early grave.

And this is what he wrote.

"I am not a client, a customer,

nor a service user.

"I am not a shirker, a scrounger,

a beggar, nor a thief.

"I'm not a National Insurance Number

or blip on a screen.

"I paid my dues, never a penny short,

and proud to do so.

"I don't tug the forelock, but look my

neighbour in the eye and help him if I can.

"I don't accept or seek charity.

"My name is Daniel Blake.

I am a man, not a dog.

"As such, I demand my rights.

"I demand you treat me with respect.

"I, Daniel Blake, am a citizen,

"nothing more and nothing less."

Thank you.

Rate this script:3.0 / 4 votes