Salting the Battlefield

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 sh*t. 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 f***.

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,

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes