Fri, Nov 20, 2009
Nicola and Peter Mannion go head to head on Richard Bacon's Radio 5 phone-in show. Nicola does not do well with her idea of "being inspired out of poverty" and Mannion, despite Phil's sycophantic praise, fares no better. Tucker and Pearson, listening in, decide they must come to the rescue of their charges and, after exchanging insults and blackmail threats regarding members of the other's party, come to see that they have a lot in common. Emma meanwhile dumps Ollie.
Fri, Oct 19, 2012
Ministers and aides from all parties are summoned to give evidence at the Goolding Inquiry into the events involving and following Tickel's suicide. First witness is Pearson, whose obscure jargonese strikes the panel as being at odds with his role as an information giver, whilst Tucker is reprimanded for trying to score political points. It soon becomes apparent that opposing sides are using the inquiry to discredit each other whilst those who sent the emails do a good job of discrediting themselves. Mannion struggles, as does Nicola (even though she called for the inquiry) and the most honest witness is aide Robyn, who inadvertently blows the whistle on everybody else's back-biting. Glenn blames Ollie and Tucker, who is recalled and sees that he is cornered, gives a very impassioned speech in which he accuses the accusers.
Tue, Jan 9, 2007
With Hugh in Australia and Glenn in Wales, Ollie is left in charge, feeding policies to junior minister Ben Swain. He is one of the 'Nutters', the group keen to take power when the P.M. resigns and keen to make a name for himself - which he does in the wrong sense when Jeremy Paxman skewers him on 'Newsnight'. This is music to Tucker's ears as it is in his interest for the P.M. to remain in power for as long as he can. Ollie's new girlfriend Emma is working for Shadow Minister Peter Mannion and hopes to impress by stealing one of Ollie's idea for use on their immigration policy though things do not go fully to plan.
Mon, Jul 2, 2007
Peter Mannion's speech on immigration, leaking the PM's policy, did not have the effect Tucker desired and now the PM is resigning, leaving the way clear for the Nutters and their leader Tom. Ollie has been promised a job by young Nutter Ben Swain, Tucker's assistant has encouraged Hugh's predecessor Cliff to stand as a stalking horse and Glenn is keen to keep Hugh in the frame whilst his boss is in Australia. Fortunately Tom has a dark secret which is just what Tucker is looking for but will it be enough?
Fri, Dec 4, 2009
Nicola is keen to find a famous sports person to front her Healthy Choices campaign but Tucker is officially on holiday - or rather recovering from the result of his spat with Terri. Thus new spin doctor Steve Fleming is brought in and whilst Ollie may regard him as a saviour this is the man Tucker once drummed out of the party. The last thing he wants is to give his old adversary power over him so he hosts a cosy lunch for the press, stressing that, whatever people think, he is still in charge.
Wed, Nov 2, 2005
Terri has returned from compassionate leave after her father's death and Hugh is back from holiday. The department has a new name, the Department of Social Affairs and Citizenship, though they seem to be dealing with issues no other departments want. They also have a new building but it is a disappointment - with no ventilation and the email system is down so the staff must temporarily use their own email addresses. Hugh takes a dislike to educational advisor Roy Smedley over special schools and uses Terri's computer to send Glenn an email calling him a four letter word. Unfortunately it gets erroneously sent to a little girl also called Glenn Cullen and Tucker has to clear up the fall-out when the press get wind of the story.
Fri, Oct 30, 2009
Nicola has been in post for a week and already the press are doubting her competence. So it is not a good time to learn that 'somebody' in the department has accidentally wiped the immigration records of 170,00 people over the past few months. Nicola has a press meeting with hostile Guardian journalists coming up and Tucker must ensure that they do not get to learn of the mistake. Needless to say they do and when Glenn refuses to obey her by sacking secretary Robyn as the scapegoat Nicola feels even more undermined.
Fri, Nov 6, 2009
Nicola and Ollie are in a hotel room at Eastbourne with annoying press officer John Duggan, trying to write her speech for the annual party conference. Glenn meets Julie Price, a tragic widow whose situation could be useful to Nicola but when Tucker tries to beef up the story it leads to a fight with Glenn - which Julie leaks on Twitter. Glenn does end up with a little T.L.C. and Nicola's speech could have been a lot worse, given that Terri was asking Robyn to provide jokes for her.
Fri, Oct 26, 2012
The witnesses from the Goolding Inquiry nervously await the result. A further crisis looms over the number of police staff being cut by the Home office, leading to a backlog of paper work and queues outside police stations. Whilst Mannion and his advisers panic, Ollie sends Dan on a fact finding mission to Lewisham police station though it is not very productive. After delivering a rant to Ollie about his inadequacy as a replacement, Tucker tries to create a smoke screen by getting himself arrested, though this also falls flat. Glenn also quits, tearing strips off his colleagues and resolving to turn himself in for perjury - though he changes his mind on the police station steps. Nicola is persuaded to give a face-saving interview with the Daily Mirror journalist who has been shadowing her, dressed as a giant pork chop, and Pearson gets the sack and everybody else is left wondering whether they will still be left in the thick of it.
Wed, Oct 19, 2005
Whilst visiting a factory Hugh is accosted by an irate woman complaining about her mother's treatment on the N.H.S. At the same time Ollie is dating a woman who is an advisor for the opposition party in the hopes that he will act as Tucker's spy. Hugh's discomfort is of course a Godsend to the other side but Ollie has to appreciate that loyalty to the party is more important than a girlfriend and help Tucker dig Hugh out of the mess.