A documentary series which shows the work done by Members of Parliament, both behind the scenes and in public proceedings in the House of Commons.
The Deal is a 2003 British television film directed by Stephen Frears from a script by Peter Morgan, based in part upon The Rivals by James Naughtie. The film stars David Morrissey as Gordon Brown and Michael Sheen as Tony Blair, and depicts the Blair-Brown deal—a well-documented pact that Blair and Brown made whereby Brown would not stand in the 1994 Labour leadership election, so that Blair could have a clear run at becoming leader of the party and Prime Minister. The film begins on 9 June 1983, as Blair and Brown are first elected to Parliament, and concludes in May 1994 at the Granita restaurant—the location of the supposed agreement—with a brief epilogue following the leadership contest.
The film was first proposed by Morgan in late 2002 and was taken on by Granada Television for ITV. After Frears agreed to direct, and the cast were signed on, ITV pulled out of it over fears that the political sensitivity could affect its corporate merger. Channel 4 picked up the production and filming was carried out for five weeks in May 2003. The film was broadcast on 28 September 2003, the weekend prior to the Labour Party's annual party conference.
The film was critically lauded. Morrissey received considerable praise, winning a Royal Television Society award for playing Brown, and Frears was nominated for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Television Movie/Serial by the Directors Guild of Great Britain. The film also nominated for an International Emmy for Best TV Movie/Miniseries. Sheen later reunited with Morgan, Frears, and producer Christine Langan in 2006 to reprise his role as Blair in The Queen, that depicts the death of Princess Diana on 31 August 1997. Sheen reprised his role once again in 2010 in The Special Relationship, that chronicles the "special relationship" between Blair and US President Bill Clinton up until the September 11 attacks, and was broadcast on BBC Two in the United Kingdom and HBO in North America.
Questions to the Prime Minister. Held weekly since 1961, Prime Minister's Questions, also referred to as PMQs, gives Members of the British Parliament a chance to question the Prime Minister in the House of Commons. PMQs takes place at midday every Wednesday at the Palace of Westminster when the House of Commons is sitting.
Winston Churchill is renowned as the legendary war leader, inspiring Britain in its finest hour. This series looks at the man behind the legend, bringing you closer to the real Churchill through the eyes of those closest to him.
This hit podcast turned TV show features four of the BBC's wittiest political commentators, bringing you the most digestible explanations of Brexit along with Westminster gossip, trivia, running gags, and daft small-talk.
A 1994 war television miniseries which portrays Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin as they maneuver their countries through several of the major events of World War II - such events include the Blitz, Operation Barbarossa, the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the North African Campaign, the Allied invasion of Italy, and concluding with the Tehran Conference.
The Politician's Wife is a British television political drama written by Paula Milne, broadcast on Channel 4 in 1995 and starring Trevor Eve and Juliet Stevenson.
The story centres around high-flying politician Duncan Matlock, Families Minister for the UK Government, who becomes embroiled in tabloid scandal as it is discovered that he has been having an affair with a former escort turned parliamentary researcher. Duncan's wife Flora becomes the focus of media attention as her reactions to the revelations are played out. Initially she plays out the part of the loyal wife, but as an aide of her husband feeds her details about the affair and various other political scandals that could be made to happen. She begins to sabotage her husband's integrity and reputation through a campaign of leaks and misinformation to the press and British Conservative Party stalwarts. After a series of increasingly sensational and damaging stories in the press, her husband is forced to resign in humiliation. The last episode closes with the results of the by-election being announced on TV. Flora Matlock wins with the support of her party whilst her husband is exiled to a minor post in Belgium.
A Very British Coup is a British political thriller series based on the novel by Chris Mullin. It stars Ray McAnally as the newly elected left-wing prime minister Harry Perkins, who soon finds himself up to his neck in conspiracy.
A drama about the shifting power in a marriage when the personal and political collide.
Political comedy set on the campaign buses of the main parties as they battle their way through the chaos of the election campaign.
Sir Oswald Mosley was a man who should have ranked with the heroes of the century... Instead his personal life and public career ended in disgrace and Mosley is now remembered as the leader of a dictatorial populist movement in the decade before WWII.
Francis Urquhart's survival at the top is threatened by the new king's populist agenda.
The story of three decades of war told through the eyes of various men who were its key players: Roosevelt, Hitler, Patton, Mussolini, Churchill, Tojo, DeGaulle and MacArthur. The series examines the two wars as one contiguous timeline starting in 1914 and concluding in 1945 with these unique individuals coming of age in World War I before ultimately calling the shots in World War II.
Party Animals presents Westminster from the ground up – the young researchers and advisors shouldering huge responsibility in a frantic, high-stakes world. It's no wonder their personal lives are so messy. Sons of an ex-Labour MP, Scott and Danny Foster have politics in their blood.
GBH was a seven-part British television drama written by Alan Bleasdale shown in the summer of 1991 on Channel 4. The protagonists were Michael Murray, the Militant tendency-supporting Labour leader of a city council in the North of England and Jim Nelson, the headmaster of a school for disturbed children.
The series was controversial partly because Murray appeared to be based on Derek Hatton, former Deputy Leader of Liverpool City Council — in an interview in the G.B.H. DVD Bleasdale recounts an accidental meeting with Hatton before the series, who indicates that he has caught wind of Bleasdale's intentions but does not mind as long as the actor playing him is "handsome".
In normal parlance, the initials "GBH" refer to the criminal charge of grievous bodily harm - however, the actual intent of the letters is that it is supposed to stand for Great British Holiday.
The lives of the Duke of Marlborough and his wife Sarah, from their meeting in 1673 to the duke's death in 1722.
In a televised version of the popular podcast, Adam Fleming, Chris Mason, and guests chat about the stories behind the news.
It's the late 1960s, homosexuality has only just been legalised and Jeremy Thorpe, the leader of the Liberal party, has a secret he's desperate to hide.
Spitting Image is an award winning British satirical puppet show, created by Peter Fluck, Roger Law and Martin Lambie-Nairn. The series was produced by Spitting Image Productions for Central Independent Television over 18 series which aired on the ITV from 1984 to 1996. The series was nominated and won numerous awards during its run including 10 BAFTA Awards, including one for editing in 1989, and even won two Emmy Awards in 1985 and 1986 in the Popular Arts Category.
The series featured puppet caricatures of celebrities famous during the 1980s and 1990s, including British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and fellow Tory politicians, American president Ronald Reagan, and the British Royal Family. The Series was the first to caricature the Queen mother.
Frustrated at a new moderate Conservative government and deprived of a promotion to a senior position, chief whip Francis Urquhart prepares a meticulous plot to bring down the Prime Minister then to take his place.