Francis Urquhart
Encyclopedia
Francis Ewan Urquhart is a fictional character
created by Michael Dobbs
. A Conservative politician, he appeared in a trilogy of novels: House of Cards
in 1989, To Play the King
in 1992 and The Final Cut
in 1995. He was portrayed in television versions by Ian Richardson
.
The "epitome of elegant evil", in the series Urquhart addressed the audience in asides, often quoting Shakespeare
, or giving a knowing look to the camera. He used the catchphrase, "You might very well think that; I couldn't possibly comment", or a variation thereon, as a deniable way of agreeing with people. The term has often been used in the real life British politics, and in the media
, since the BBC
airing of House of Cards in 1990. The first series, which opens with the battle within the Conservative Party
to succeed Margaret Thatcher
as its leader and as Prime Minister
, gained instant popularity when she actually fell from power during its run.
of the Conservative Party. He is believed by most people to be an honest and decent man; as Lord 'Teddy' Billsborough remarks to Michael Samuels in House of Cards, “Dull dog, but sound as a bell… But the odd thing about Francis Urquhart, is that he'd never stab you in the back, however much he disliked you. Not many left like Urquhart. Dying breed, more's the pity.” Prior to events of the novel, the characterisation seems accurate, but when the new Prime Minister rejects a number of original ideas suggested by Urquhart, including a new memorandum for a Cabinet reshuffle where he holds a senior Cabinet
post, Urquhart is revealed as an ambitious, vengeful and manipulative man who lusts after power and is willing to commit murder and blackmail
to get it. (Dobbs chose his initials very deliberately ). He is encouraged by his equally amoral wife, Elizabeth.
The books reveal that Urquhart was a tutor before entering politics, and that he felt pressured by his family to live up to the memory of his older brother, Allistar, who died in the Second World War. He also comments in To Play the King
that his family was originally Scottish
, but moved to England
when James I
took power — "'My family came south with James I. We were defenders of the English
throne, before your family was ever heard of,'" he says to the King when forcing his abdication. In the television version of The Final Cut
, Urquhart claims that he was born in the Scottish Highlands
and flashback sequences feature him being in the Army
, which earlier books suggest he was not. In the TV series, he tells a newspaper reporter he was "'a young lieutenant in the Scots Guards
'" when asked about his youth. He has a fondness for Bruichladdich
malt whisky. He is also fond of hunting and shooting both at Chequers
and his own original country estate (seen only in House of Cards) near Southampton
. The tie he wears in the TV series suggests that he attended Eton College
.
. His policies include abolishing the Arts Council
, outlawing vagrancy
, reintroducing conscription
and banning pensioners from National Health Service
treatment unless they have paid for Age Insurance. He describes himself to his wife, Elizabeth, in To Play the King as: "I'm not a brute, Elizabeth, just a plain, no-nonsense, old-fashioned Tory
". He is contemptuous of the welfare state
. He appears to be at least sceptical of the European Union
.
During an interview, Urquhart expounds his views of British society, by saying: "There is a deep division in society today between those who want to work and enjoy the fruits of their labour and abide by and uphold the laws of the land, and an increasing number of what it has become fashionable to call "the disaffected", "the disadvantaged", "the differently motivated", what we used to call lazy people, dishonest people, who don't want to take responsibility for their actions or their lives". In the same interview, he lambastes youth culture for its depraved morality by saying: "It is not right that our people in the very prime and flower of youth should be spending half the day loathing in bed and the rest selling each other drugs and stealing from each other". In his view, conscription
is the best solution to "give young people the chance to learn self discipline again, a chance to feel proud of themselves". Finally, his detestation of the welfare state
can be gleaned from his "great belief of Britain
[...], [...] not a nation of social workers or clients of social workers" and the fact that "Britain
is a fierce proud nation and [...] still - God willing - a nation to be reckoned".
His analysis of the malaise of certain sectors of society was later used by the media
and politicians for finding a rationale to the 2011 London riots. Urquhart, however, never hinted at immigration
as a cause to social problems and unrest. Although his ministerial cabinets were all made of white, British
, mainly male politicians, Urquhart's policies are not racialist.
His foreign policy takes after Margaret Thatcher
's stance on world affairs: in that regard, Urquhart thinks that Britain
has more to teach the world and Europe
in particular, than the other way round, and would like to see the rest of the EU to speak English
- a position that would then completely alienate the Foreign Secretary Tom Makepeace. Besides, his strong belief in discipline and the rule of law shapes his foreign policy in Cyprus
, where he authorises the use of force against schoolgirls who were blocking military vehicles.
His economic policies are poorly outlined, but seem to favour the laissez-faire deregulatory approach of Margaret Thatcher
and a relaxation of anti-trust laws.
of the British Conservative Party, Francis Ewan Urquhart, referring to the fall from power of PM Margaret Thatcher
. The winner of the ensuing party leadership contest is Henry Collingridge, a moderate but undecisive conservative. In the first series, Urquhart submits a memorandum to the new Prime Minister
advancing the idea of a cabinet reshuffle that would contemplate a prominent ministerial position for the Chief Whip
. Henry Collingridge discards his proposals and denies Urquhart the promotion he's been craving, urging him to orchestrate a political revenge.
Each government department has a whip
attached who reports regularly to the Chief Whip. In addition, all delicate secrets and potential scandals are handled by the Chief Whip, who is in charge of discipline and morale on the backbenches
. Urquhart exploits his position and inside knowledge, and he regularly leaks information and scandal to the press to undermine Collingridge and ultimately force him to resign. Most of his leaks are to his keen supporter Mattie Storin, a reporter for The Chronicle, a (fictional) pro-Tory paper (however, in the novel it is the real Telegraph
), whose thuggish proprietor Benjamin Landless woos Urquhart with promises of lax competition in the election, as Landless expands his media empire.
He then eliminates his enemies in the resulting leadership contest by means of scandals that he set up himself or publicised. These include threatening to publish photographs of Harold Earle (Education Secretary
) receiving oral sex from a rent boy; causing Peter MacKenzie, the Health Minister
, to accidentally run over a disabled man; forcing Patrick Woolton, the Foreign Secretary, to withdraw by threatening him with a tape of his one-night stand with Penny Guy (secretary and mistress to Urquhart's right-hand man Roger O'Neill). His remaining rival, Michael Samuels (Environment Secretary), is alleged by the tabloids to have been a "gay lib
commie
" and CND
-supporter at university. Urquhart thereby reaches the brink of victory.
Prior to the final ballot he murders Roger O'Neill, whom he blackmailed into helping him to remove the Prime Minister from office. Urquhart invites O'Neill to his country house near Southampton
, gets him drunk, and mixes rat poison with his cocaine
. This is because O'Neill has become unstable (due to his cocaine addiction and break-up with Penny) and knows too much about Urquhart's activities.
The ending of the novel and TV series differ significantly (indeed, only the ending and popularity of the TV series prompted the author Michael Dobbs
to write the sequels). Mattie untangles Urquhart's web and confronts him in the deserted roof garden of the Houses of Parliament. In the novel, he commits suicide by jumping to his death. In the TV drama, he throws her off the roof, killing her, and claims she committed suicide. In the TV version, Urquhart had gained her ultimate trust by having a sexual relationship with her (with his wife's consent). This was strangely paternal; when Urquhart informed her "'Now that is absurd, Mattie. You don't expect me to fall for that. I'm old enough to be your father'", she seems to be further attracted to him, and called him 'daddy.' Shortly after murdering her, he is driven to Buckingham Palace
to be invited by the Queen to form a government as Prime Minister. He does not know that Mattie was taping their final conversation and that someone would find the tape.
. Having gained great power and influence, he wonders how to use them. His wife comments that he needs "'Something or someone to present you with a new challenge. Something to stimulate you intellectually. Bring out the best in you.'" This challenge is shortly provided in the form of the new King. The King has a strong social conscience, and is concerned about what he sees as the result of Urquhart's hard-line policies. He does not directly criticise Urquhart in public, but makes speeches about the direction he wishes the country to pursue, which contrasts with the Government's policies. Urquhart wins the confidence of the King's estranged wife and uses his influence in the press to reveal intimate and scandalous secrets concerning the Royal Family
. The King is dragged into campaigning on behalf of the Opposition during a general election which Urquhart wins, creating a constitutional crisis and finally forcing the King to abdicate in favour of his teenage son, whom Urquhart expects to be a much less influential Monarch.
Urquhart also murders his former ally and Party Chairman
, Tim Stamper after he learns of Mattie's tape and that Stamper acquired it and now, embittered by Urquhart's failure to reward his loyalty, Stamper plans to go to the police with the tape. He also eliminates his own aide (and lover) Sarah Harding, in whom Stamper had confided. Both perish in car explosions, made to appear as IRA terrorist attacks, arranged by his bodyguard, Commander Corder.
With a tame monarch and no threat in sight, Urquhart is secure as Prime Minister.
's record'" of longevity as Prime Minister. He is aware that, like all statesmen, he will not rule forever and he is determined to 'make my mark on the [world].' He sets about reuniting Cyprus
, both to secure his legacy, and to gain substantial revenue for 'The Urquhart Trust' after a Turkish Cypriot businessman, Nureş, who informs Urquhart of an international sea boundary deal, that consequently gives the exploitation rights for offshore oil to the British and the Turks. His past is catching up with him, however - a tenacious Cypriot girl and her father are determined to prove that he murdered her uncles while serving as a young officer in Cyprus during the unrest that preceded independence in 1956. He also sacks his more liberal and pro-European
Foreign Secretary, Tom Makepeace, who is fed up with not being allowed to do his job and having Urquhart take the credit for the Cyprus deal (and publicly dismisses Makepeace's role as having been "'loaded down with much of the donkey-work'"), leaving Makepeace free to challenge Urquhart for the party leadership.
After disastrous events in Cyprus, Urquhart is shot dead at the unveiling of the Margaret Thatcher memorial, having been Prime Minister for 4,228 days—one day longer than Thatcher. In the TV series Urquhart's bodyguard, Corder, arranges his assassination with the consent of his wife (who is implied to be Corder's lover—Urquhart knows this and does not object) to stop the dark secrets from his past being revealed. In the book, Urquhart allows himself to be killed by an assassin who is out for revenge, martyring himself in the process—by pushing his wife out of the way and saving her life, he secured himself a State funeral, the landslide re-election of his Party and the legacy he craved.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
created by Michael Dobbs
Michael Dobbs
Michael Dobbs, Baron Dobbs is a British Conservative politician and best-selling author.-Background:Michael Dobbs was born on 14 November 1948 in Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, the son of nurseryman Eric and Eileen Dobbs. He was educated at Hertford Grammar School and Christ Church, Oxford University....
. A Conservative politician, he appeared in a trilogy of novels: House of Cards
House of Cards
House of Cards is a 1990 political thriller television drama serial by the BBC in four parts, set after the end of Margaret Thatcher's tenure as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. It was televised from 18 November to 9 December 1990, to critical and popular acclaim...
in 1989, To Play the King
To Play the King
To Play The King is a 1993 BBC television serial, the second part of the House of Cards trilogy. Directed by Paul Seed, the serial was based on the Michael Dobbs novel of the same name and adapted for television by Andrew Davies...
in 1992 and The Final Cut
The Final Cut (TV serial)
The Final Cut is a 1995 BBC television serial, the third part of the House of Cards trilogy. Directed by Mike Vardy, the serial, based on Michael Dobbs's 1995 novel of the same name, was adapted for television by Andrew Davies...
in 1995. He was portrayed in television versions by Ian Richardson
Ian Richardson
Ian William Richardson CBE was a Scottish actor best known for his portrayal of the Machiavellian Tory politician Francis Urquhart in the BBC's House of Cards trilogy. He was also a leading Shakespearean stage actor....
.
The "epitome of elegant evil", in the series Urquhart addressed the audience in asides, often quoting Shakespeare
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
, or giving a knowing look to the camera. He used the catchphrase, "You might very well think that; I couldn't possibly comment", or a variation thereon, as a deniable way of agreeing with people. The term has often been used in the real life British politics, and in the media
News media
The news media are those elements of the mass media that focus on delivering news to the general public or a target public.These include print media , broadcast news , and more recently the Internet .-Etymology:A medium is a carrier of something...
, since the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
airing of House of Cards in 1990. The first series, which opens with the battle within the Conservative Party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
to succeed Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990...
as its leader and as Prime Minister
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
, gained instant popularity when she actually fell from power during its run.
Background
Urquhart has served for many years as Chief WhipChief Whip
The Chief Whip is a political office in some legislatures assigned to an elected member whose task is to administer the whipping system that ensures that members of the party attend and vote as the party leadership desires.-The Whips Office:...
of the Conservative Party. He is believed by most people to be an honest and decent man; as Lord 'Teddy' Billsborough remarks to Michael Samuels in House of Cards, “Dull dog, but sound as a bell… But the odd thing about Francis Urquhart, is that he'd never stab you in the back, however much he disliked you. Not many left like Urquhart. Dying breed, more's the pity.” Prior to events of the novel, the characterisation seems accurate, but when the new Prime Minister rejects a number of original ideas suggested by Urquhart, including a new memorandum for a Cabinet reshuffle where he holds a senior Cabinet
Cabinet (government)
A Cabinet is a body of high ranking government officials, typically representing the executive branch. It can also sometimes be referred to as the Council of Ministers, an Executive Council, or an Executive Committee.- Overview :...
post, Urquhart is revealed as an ambitious, vengeful and manipulative man who lusts after power and is willing to commit murder and blackmail
Blackmail
In common usage, blackmail is a crime involving threats to reveal substantially true or false information about a person to the public, a family member, or associates unless a demand is met. It may be defined as coercion involving threats of physical harm, threat of criminal prosecution, or threats...
to get it. (Dobbs chose his initials very deliberately ). He is encouraged by his equally amoral wife, Elizabeth.
The books reveal that Urquhart was a tutor before entering politics, and that he felt pressured by his family to live up to the memory of his older brother, Allistar, who died in the Second World War. He also comments in To Play the King
To Play the King
To Play The King is a 1993 BBC television serial, the second part of the House of Cards trilogy. Directed by Paul Seed, the serial was based on the Michael Dobbs novel of the same name and adapted for television by Andrew Davies...
that his family was originally Scottish
Scottish people
The Scottish people , or Scots, are a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland. Historically they emerged from an amalgamation of the Picts and Gaels, incorporating neighbouring Britons to the south as well as invading Germanic peoples such as the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse.In modern use,...
, but moved to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
when James I
James I of England
James VI and I was King of Scots as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the English and Scottish crowns on 24 March 1603...
took power — "'My family came south with James I. We were defenders of the English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
throne, before your family was ever heard of,'" he says to the King when forcing his abdication. In the television version of The Final Cut
The Final Cut (TV serial)
The Final Cut is a 1995 BBC television serial, the third part of the House of Cards trilogy. Directed by Mike Vardy, the serial, based on Michael Dobbs's 1995 novel of the same name, was adapted for television by Andrew Davies...
, Urquhart claims that he was born in the Scottish Highlands
Scottish Highlands
The Highlands is an historic region of Scotland. The area is sometimes referred to as the "Scottish Highlands". It was culturally distinguishable from the Lowlands from the later Middle Ages into the modern period, when Lowland Scots replaced Scottish Gaelic throughout most of the Lowlands...
and flashback sequences feature him being in the Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
, which earlier books suggest he was not. In the TV series, he tells a newspaper reporter he was "'a young lieutenant in the Scots Guards
Scots Guards
The Scots Guards is a regiment of the Guards Division of the British Army, whose origins lie in the personal bodyguard of King Charles I of England and Scotland...
'" when asked about his youth. He has a fondness for Bruichladdich
Bruichladdich
Bruichladdich Distillery is a Scotch whisky distillery on the Rhinns of the isle of Islay. It is one of eight distilleries on the island, and until the recent opening of Kilchoman farm distillery, the only independent one....
malt whisky. He is also fond of hunting and shooting both at Chequers
Chequers
Chequers, or Chequers Court, is a country house near Ellesborough, to the south of Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire, England, at the foot of the Chiltern Hills...
and his own original country estate (seen only in House of Cards) near Southampton
Southampton
Southampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest...
. The tie he wears in the TV series suggests that he attended Eton College
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
.
Politics
Urqhuart is hard right-wingRight-wing politics
In politics, Right, right-wing and rightist generally refer to support for a hierarchical society justified on the basis of an appeal to natural law or tradition. To varying degrees, the Right rejects the egalitarian objectives of left-wing politics, claiming that the imposition of equality is...
. His policies include abolishing the Arts Council
Arts council
An arts council is a government or private, non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the arts mainly by funding local artists, awarding prizes, and organizing events at home and abroad...
, outlawing vagrancy
Vagrancy (people)
A vagrant is a person in poverty, who wanders from place to place without a home or regular employment or income.-Definition:A vagrant is "a person without a settled home or regular work who wanders from place to place and lives by begging;" vagrancy is the condition of such persons.-History:In...
, reintroducing conscription
Conscription
Conscription is the compulsory enlistment of people in some sort of national service, most often military service. Conscription dates back to antiquity and continues in some countries to the present day under various names...
and banning pensioners from National Health Service
National Health Service
The National Health Service is the shared name of three of the four publicly funded healthcare systems in the United Kingdom. They provide a comprehensive range of health services, the vast majority of which are free at the point of use to residents of the United Kingdom...
treatment unless they have paid for Age Insurance. He describes himself to his wife, Elizabeth, in To Play the King as: "I'm not a brute, Elizabeth, just a plain, no-nonsense, old-fashioned Tory
Tory
Toryism is a traditionalist and conservative political philosophy which grew out of the Cavalier faction in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. It is a prominent ideology in the politics of the United Kingdom, but also features in parts of The Commonwealth, particularly in Canada...
". He is contemptuous of the welfare state
Welfare state
A welfare state is a "concept of government in which the state plays a key role in the protection and promotion of the economic and social well-being of its citizens. It is based on the principles of equality of opportunity, equitable distribution of wealth, and public responsibility for those...
. He appears to be at least sceptical of the European Union
Euroscepticism
Euroscepticism is a general term used to describe criticism of the European Union , and opposition to the process of European integration, existing throughout the political spectrum. Traditionally, the main source of euroscepticism has been the notion that integration weakens the nation state...
.
During an interview, Urquhart expounds his views of British society, by saying: "There is a deep division in society today between those who want to work and enjoy the fruits of their labour and abide by and uphold the laws of the land, and an increasing number of what it has become fashionable to call "the disaffected", "the disadvantaged", "the differently motivated", what we used to call lazy people, dishonest people, who don't want to take responsibility for their actions or their lives". In the same interview, he lambastes youth culture for its depraved morality by saying: "It is not right that our people in the very prime and flower of youth should be spending half the day loathing in bed and the rest selling each other drugs and stealing from each other". In his view, conscription
Conscription
Conscription is the compulsory enlistment of people in some sort of national service, most often military service. Conscription dates back to antiquity and continues in some countries to the present day under various names...
is the best solution to "give young people the chance to learn self discipline again, a chance to feel proud of themselves". Finally, his detestation of the welfare state
Welfare state
A welfare state is a "concept of government in which the state plays a key role in the protection and promotion of the economic and social well-being of its citizens. It is based on the principles of equality of opportunity, equitable distribution of wealth, and public responsibility for those...
can be gleaned from his "great belief of Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
[...], [...] not a nation of social workers or clients of social workers" and the fact that "Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
is a fierce proud nation and [...] still - God willing - a nation to be reckoned".
His analysis of the malaise of certain sectors of society was later used by the media
Media
Media may refer to:- Communications :* Media , tools used to store and deliver information or data** Advertising media, various media, content, buying and placement for advertising...
and politicians for finding a rationale to the 2011 London riots. Urquhart, however, never hinted at immigration
Immigration
Immigration is the act of foreigners passing or coming into a country for the purpose of permanent residence...
as a cause to social problems and unrest. Although his ministerial cabinets were all made of white, British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, mainly male politicians, Urquhart's policies are not racialist.
His foreign policy takes after Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990...
's stance on world affairs: in that regard, Urquhart thinks that Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
has more to teach the world and Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
in particular, than the other way round, and would like to see the rest of the EU to speak English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
- a position that would then completely alienate the Foreign Secretary Tom Makepeace. Besides, his strong belief in discipline and the rule of law shapes his foreign policy in Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
, where he authorises the use of force against schoolgirls who were blocking military vehicles.
His economic policies are poorly outlined, but seem to favour the laissez-faire deregulatory approach of Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990...
and a relaxation of anti-trust laws.
House of Cards
"Nothing lasts forever: even the longest, the most glittering reign must come to an end someday". Those are the first word pronounced by the Chief WhipChief Whip
The Chief Whip is a political office in some legislatures assigned to an elected member whose task is to administer the whipping system that ensures that members of the party attend and vote as the party leadership desires.-The Whips Office:...
of the British Conservative Party, Francis Ewan Urquhart, referring to the fall from power of PM Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990...
. The winner of the ensuing party leadership contest is Henry Collingridge, a moderate but undecisive conservative. In the first series, Urquhart submits a memorandum to the new Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
advancing the idea of a cabinet reshuffle that would contemplate a prominent ministerial position for the Chief Whip
Chief Whip
The Chief Whip is a political office in some legislatures assigned to an elected member whose task is to administer the whipping system that ensures that members of the party attend and vote as the party leadership desires.-The Whips Office:...
. Henry Collingridge discards his proposals and denies Urquhart the promotion he's been craving, urging him to orchestrate a political revenge.
Each government department has a whip
Whip (politics)
A whip is an official in a political party whose primary purpose is to ensure party discipline in a legislature. Whips are a party's "enforcers", who typically offer inducements and threaten punishments for party members to ensure that they vote according to the official party policy...
attached who reports regularly to the Chief Whip. In addition, all delicate secrets and potential scandals are handled by the Chief Whip, who is in charge of discipline and morale on the backbenches
Backbencher
In Westminster parliamentary systems, a backbencher is a Member of Parliament or a legislator who does not hold governmental office and is not a Front Bench spokesperson in the Opposition...
. Urquhart exploits his position and inside knowledge, and he regularly leaks information and scandal to the press to undermine Collingridge and ultimately force him to resign. Most of his leaks are to his keen supporter Mattie Storin, a reporter for The Chronicle, a (fictional) pro-Tory paper (however, in the novel it is the real Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
), whose thuggish proprietor Benjamin Landless woos Urquhart with promises of lax competition in the election, as Landless expands his media empire.
He then eliminates his enemies in the resulting leadership contest by means of scandals that he set up himself or publicised. These include threatening to publish photographs of Harold Earle (Education Secretary
Education Secretary
Education Secretary may refer to:* Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning, Scotland* Secretary for Education * Secretary of Public Education, Mexico* Secretary of State for Education, United Kingdom...
) receiving oral sex from a rent boy; causing Peter MacKenzie, the Health Minister
Health minister
A health minister is the member of a country's government typically responsible for protecting and promoting public health and providing welfare and other social security services....
, to accidentally run over a disabled man; forcing Patrick Woolton, the Foreign Secretary, to withdraw by threatening him with a tape of his one-night stand with Penny Guy (secretary and mistress to Urquhart's right-hand man Roger O'Neill). His remaining rival, Michael Samuels (Environment Secretary), is alleged by the tabloids to have been a "gay lib
Gay Liberation
Gay liberation is the name used to describe the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender movement of the late 1960s and early to mid 1970s in North America, Western Europe, and Australia and New Zealand...
commie
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
" and CND
Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament
The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament is an anti-nuclear organisation that advocates unilateral nuclear disarmament by the United Kingdom, international nuclear disarmament and tighter international arms regulation through agreements such as the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty...
-supporter at university. Urquhart thereby reaches the brink of victory.
Prior to the final ballot he murders Roger O'Neill, whom he blackmailed into helping him to remove the Prime Minister from office. Urquhart invites O'Neill to his country house near Southampton
Southampton
Southampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest...
, gets him drunk, and mixes rat poison with his cocaine
Cocaine
Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...
. This is because O'Neill has become unstable (due to his cocaine addiction and break-up with Penny) and knows too much about Urquhart's activities.
The ending of the novel and TV series differ significantly (indeed, only the ending and popularity of the TV series prompted the author Michael Dobbs
Michael Dobbs
Michael Dobbs, Baron Dobbs is a British Conservative politician and best-selling author.-Background:Michael Dobbs was born on 14 November 1948 in Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, the son of nurseryman Eric and Eileen Dobbs. He was educated at Hertford Grammar School and Christ Church, Oxford University....
to write the sequels). Mattie untangles Urquhart's web and confronts him in the deserted roof garden of the Houses of Parliament. In the novel, he commits suicide by jumping to his death. In the TV drama, he throws her off the roof, killing her, and claims she committed suicide. In the TV version, Urquhart had gained her ultimate trust by having a sexual relationship with her (with his wife's consent). This was strangely paternal; when Urquhart informed her "'Now that is absurd, Mattie. You don't expect me to fall for that. I'm old enough to be your father'", she seems to be further attracted to him, and called him 'daddy.' Shortly after murdering her, he is driven to Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace, in London, is the principal residence and office of the British monarch. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is a setting for state occasions and royal hospitality...
to be invited by the Queen to form a government as Prime Minister. He does not know that Mattie was taping their final conversation and that someone would find the tape.
To Play the King
The second instalment starts with Francis Urquhart, in his second term as Prime Minister, feeling a sense of anti-climaxClimax (narrative)
The Climax is the point in the story where the main character's point of view changes, or the most exciting/action filled part of the story. It also known has the main turning point in the story...
. Having gained great power and influence, he wonders how to use them. His wife comments that he needs "'Something or someone to present you with a new challenge. Something to stimulate you intellectually. Bring out the best in you.'" This challenge is shortly provided in the form of the new King. The King has a strong social conscience, and is concerned about what he sees as the result of Urquhart's hard-line policies. He does not directly criticise Urquhart in public, but makes speeches about the direction he wishes the country to pursue, which contrasts with the Government's policies. Urquhart wins the confidence of the King's estranged wife and uses his influence in the press to reveal intimate and scandalous secrets concerning the Royal Family
Royal family
A royal family is the extended family of a king or queen regnant. The term imperial family appropriately describes the extended family of an emperor or empress, while the terms "ducal family", "grand ducal family" or "princely family" are more appropriate to describe the relatives of a reigning...
. The King is dragged into campaigning on behalf of the Opposition during a general election which Urquhart wins, creating a constitutional crisis and finally forcing the King to abdicate in favour of his teenage son, whom Urquhart expects to be a much less influential Monarch.
Urquhart also murders his former ally and Party Chairman
Chairman of the Conservative Party
In the United Kingdom, the Chairman of the Conservative Party is responsible for running the party machine, overseeing Conservative Central Office. When the Conservatives are in power, the Chairman is usually a member of the Cabinet being given a sinecure position such as Minister without Portfolio...
, Tim Stamper after he learns of Mattie's tape and that Stamper acquired it and now, embittered by Urquhart's failure to reward his loyalty, Stamper plans to go to the police with the tape. He also eliminates his own aide (and lover) Sarah Harding, in whom Stamper had confided. Both perish in car explosions, made to appear as IRA terrorist attacks, arranged by his bodyguard, Commander Corder.
With a tame monarch and no threat in sight, Urquhart is secure as Prime Minister.
The Final Cut
The last installment in the trilogy portrays an embattled and increasingly unpopular man who is determined to "'beat that bloody womanMargaret Thatcher
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990...
's record'" of longevity as Prime Minister. He is aware that, like all statesmen, he will not rule forever and he is determined to 'make my mark on the [world].' He sets about reuniting Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
, both to secure his legacy, and to gain substantial revenue for 'The Urquhart Trust' after a Turkish Cypriot businessman, Nureş, who informs Urquhart of an international sea boundary deal, that consequently gives the exploitation rights for offshore oil to the British and the Turks. His past is catching up with him, however - a tenacious Cypriot girl and her father are determined to prove that he murdered her uncles while serving as a young officer in Cyprus during the unrest that preceded independence in 1956. He also sacks his more liberal and pro-European
Pro-European
Pro-European is a subjective term applied to a person who supports the idea of European unification and generally supports further 'deepening' of European integration, specifically in the context of political argument over the current and future status of the EU and its policies.-The Pro-European...
Foreign Secretary, Tom Makepeace, who is fed up with not being allowed to do his job and having Urquhart take the credit for the Cyprus deal (and publicly dismisses Makepeace's role as having been "'loaded down with much of the donkey-work'"), leaving Makepeace free to challenge Urquhart for the party leadership.
After disastrous events in Cyprus, Urquhart is shot dead at the unveiling of the Margaret Thatcher memorial, having been Prime Minister for 4,228 days—one day longer than Thatcher. In the TV series Urquhart's bodyguard, Corder, arranges his assassination with the consent of his wife (who is implied to be Corder's lover—Urquhart knows this and does not object) to stop the dark secrets from his past being revealed. In the book, Urquhart allows himself to be killed by an assassin who is out for revenge, martyring himself in the process—by pushing his wife out of the way and saving her life, he secured himself a State funeral, the landslide re-election of his Party and the legacy he craved.