Even great leaders eventually fall from grace – writes Richard Town of Greater London Transport Newsletter. Preceding Margaret Thatcher’s relegation to the back benches, House of Cards was an inciteful BBC TV series that sought to follow the machinations of a fictional Tory chief whip as he plotted to take over the a fictional conservative party leadership.
The conservative manifesto was called “The Right Way” and that phrase was yelled throughout the spoof conference as its banner slogan. Chief whip Francis Urquhart (played by Ian Richardson) uses the conference as a backdrop to secretly undermine and plot against the vulnerable prime minister, Henry Collingridge.
While observing “The Right Way” podium speeches, Urquhart turns directly to the camera to deliver one of his famous, cynical monologues about the event following a painful speech by one of the series’ fictional cabinet members who Urquhart knew had been caught in a sexual encounter “in a second-class railway carriage for a sixpence”.
Urquhart used his membership of a fictional masonic lodge to have the criminal investigation against the hapless minister quashed. nd then blackmailed the minister into resignation and replacement by one of Urquhart’s own supporters.
Urquhart chortled to camera: “A party conference can be many things: a show of confidence, an agonising reappraisal, or, as in this case, a series of auditions by pretenders to the throne, while the lost leader withers before our very eyes.”
Unlike today’s Conservative Party that during their 14-year reign oversaw most of anti-driver law being used in the uniparty’s War Against the Motorist, House of Cards is top of the range gripping political intrigue. Recommended viewing indeed. See https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0074ptv
Brian Gregory, Policy Director for The Alliance of British Drivers comments: “This is a justifiably cynical “take” from Richard on the Tories ‘Right Way’ document.
“Do politicians not watch satirical, (nowadays only slightly) fictionalised exposures of their own shortcomings?
“Like the IT industry’s inability to recognise that AI developments risk the Terminator film series coming to fruition?
“In those movies, Cyberdyne Systems Judgement Day outcome maps out humanity’s future.
“This kind of policy document is what you get when your policy ‘wonks’ are bright, young university-fresh social “sciences” ideologues with Net Zero practical & life skills experience.”
ENDS
Author Richard Town is a former GLC councillor and metropolitan police driver. He writes here on behalf of The Alliance of British Drivers (ABD).
For all media enquiries, contact Paul Naylor on 07914 304 504 or email paul@mediaandyou.co.uk
Notes: Founded in 1992, the Alliance of British Drivers (ABD) is the leading organisation promoting the interests and concerns of drivers in the United Kingdom.
The UK has over 37 million drivers – that is a majority; we should stop tolerating the way we are treated by the government and local councils.
Cars, vans and taxis account for 80% of the mileage of all trips in the UK, and over 65% of goods being carried by road. The road network, and the people who use it, are of vital importance to the nation’s economy. Drivers should expect the road network to be improved and maintained to a standard that is fit for purpose. They should be able to use the roads in a safe and responsible manner without being subject to unreasonable charges, restrictions or penalties.
