- 24 minutes ago
First broadcast 4th August 1974.
Labour MP Chris Tomlinson has ambitions to climb the political ladder.
Tony Britton - Chris Tomlinson
Ann Firbank - Alice Tomlinson
Wilfred Pickles - Bernard King
Michael Elphick - Ron Hibbert
Richard Butler - Geoff
Jean Rimmer - Ethel
Chris Canavan - Billy
Joby Blanshard - Mr. Deakin (as Joby Blanchard)
Joseph Holroyd - Club Secretary (as Joe Holroyd)
Beth Morris - Deirdre
Barrie Gosney - Peter Barry
Barbara Moore-Black - Miss Dawson (as Barbara Moore Black)
Bernard Atha - Photographer
Frank Crompton - Man in Club
Joe Holmes - Man in Club
Labour MP Chris Tomlinson has ambitions to climb the political ladder.
Tony Britton - Chris Tomlinson
Ann Firbank - Alice Tomlinson
Wilfred Pickles - Bernard King
Michael Elphick - Ron Hibbert
Richard Butler - Geoff
Jean Rimmer - Ethel
Chris Canavan - Billy
Joby Blanshard - Mr. Deakin (as Joby Blanchard)
Joseph Holroyd - Club Secretary (as Joe Holroyd)
Beth Morris - Deirdre
Barrie Gosney - Peter Barry
Barbara Moore-Black - Miss Dawson (as Barbara Moore Black)
Bernard Atha - Photographer
Frank Crompton - Man in Club
Joe Holmes - Man in Club
Category
📺
TVTranscript
00:11We still have a deeply rooted and general social poverty to overcome, an ugly and hostile
00:21urban environment, overcrowded schools, inadequate hospitals, wretchedly underpowered services
00:28to meet homelessness, mental illness, juvenile crime.
00:36These deficiencies are unjust, but they are rectifiable, not by emotional exhortation
00:47and certainly not by stepping up the pace of the assembly lines in industry.
00:51What is wrong, essentially, is that there is an entrenched and resourceful resistance
00:58to change by the privileged in every facet of our daily life.
01:05And I believe that it is my function as a politician to breach the walls of that resistance.
01:13Well, Christopher Tomlinson, it is my function as a question master not to let any one subject,
01:20however fascinating, dominate our programme too much.
01:23So let's move on to another question.
01:26Valerie, who's next?
01:30Shirley Hodgson, does the panel think that girls should be allowed to wear lipstick and other
01:36make-up to attend school?
01:40If you'll forgive the familiarity, Miss Hodgson, how old are you?
01:45Eleven.
01:48And are you a pupil at this school?
01:51Yes.
01:52And do you...
01:53Are you in favour of lipstick in class?
01:56Well, sometimes.
01:58Sometimes.
02:00All right, Miss Hodgson, let's see what our team thinks about schoolgirls in make-up.
02:04We'll take that in class.
02:14We've held...
02:36Hello, darling.
02:38My God, I'm glad to see you.
02:40Where is it?
02:41The usual place.
03:08I'm glad to see you.
03:15I can't believe in God.
03:16His name is Walt Disney.
03:19And he made us all.
03:23Oh, Jesus, what's this?
03:26I've had enough of one night.
03:28I've had enough of one night.
03:30Yes?
03:31Excuse me for bothering you, Mr. Tomlinson.
03:33Excuse me, but I just wanted to shake hands with you.
03:40I know you want to get away, but I just wanted to say thank you very much.
03:45You know, your book, Towards a Just Society.
03:49It's been a Bible to me.
03:51Have you got time?
03:52Could you sign it for me, please?
03:55John Edmund Deakin, my name is.
03:59Oh, yes, of course, Mr. Deakin.
04:01D-A-K-I-N.
04:07Thank you very much.
04:08I've always wanted to meet you.
04:11You've got a book of essays coming out soon, haven't you?
04:14I keep an eye on things like that.
04:15But I mustn't keep you.
04:17They said you're going up to your constituency.
04:19Yeah.
04:19They're lucky.
04:20We've got a terrible young clot here.
04:22Can we give you a lift home?
04:24No, no.
04:24No, I'm all right.
04:25You get going.
04:26I'm all right.
04:27Are you sure?
04:28Aye, I can get a bus in five minutes.
04:30Well, good night and thanks again.
04:32Good night.
04:33You know your way, do you?
04:34Oh, yes, yes.
04:35Right.
04:36Good night, then.
04:37Good night, Mr. Deakin.
04:42Charming man.
04:55Something extraordinary happened tonight.
04:57Lord Burns, as you may or may not know,
05:00is chairman of the council of this new university,
05:03West Midlands, Shropshire Lab country.
05:06At the moment, it's just what you might call
05:09a set of figures in a landscape.
05:11But it's certainly going to happen.
05:14And he asked me tonight if I'd like to be vice-chancellor.
05:17It's an interesting thought, isn't it?
05:21Very.
05:22Yeah.
05:30About an hour before we hit hell.
05:33About that.
05:35No doubt.
05:37A lovable, twinkling chairman will be dancing attendance.
05:45Hey-ho.
05:46Stiffen the sinews.
05:48Summon up the blood.
05:49No.
06:00Oh, good evening, Mr. Tomlinson.
06:03You are lovelier than ever.
06:05Oh, hello, Mrs. Tomlinson.
06:08Are we going straight upstairs, Chris?
06:09Usual room, is it?
06:10Oh, yes.
06:12Um, Alderman Kingsby looking out for you.
06:14What would you like us to take your fingers off?
06:16There's the man.
06:17Hello, baby.
06:19Chris.
06:20Bernard is wonderful to see you.
06:22Hello, Alice.
06:23Now then, has he been behaving himself?
06:25Like he does, Bernard.
06:27Now then, what about the drink?
06:29You know, are both of you...
06:30Now, I'm going to get sorted out upstairs.
06:32Perhaps I'll join you later.
06:33Are you sure?
06:34Right then.
06:35Come on, Bernard.
06:36Lead me to it.
06:37Right.
06:37Come on.
06:38Well?
06:38Yes.
06:53We shall...
06:54We shall never shall not.
06:57No, sir.
06:58What a magnificent old Topal.
07:02Yes, sir.
07:02He was.
07:03Yes, sir.
07:04Yes.
07:05He was.
07:07Oh, may the rest of us look like drinkers or princesses.
07:13You know, Billy.
07:22There is...
07:27A thesis...
07:32A thesis to be done.
07:36By which some brilliant post-graduate little historian gentleman could make his career.
07:57I refer to the influence of alcohol on British politics.
08:03Say, 1945 to 1970.
08:06Nice run.
08:07Quarter of a century.
08:09Plenty of material for the assiduous digger into the newspaper files and the memoirs of
08:22some of our appalling elder statesmen.
08:26And when I say appalling, Billy, I mean absolutely disgusting.
08:40Watch for the signs of political decay.
08:43Yes, sir.
08:44That's the clue.
08:45That's the clue.
08:46That's the clue, my bit.
08:47Yes, sir.
08:48But then, William, politics is disgusting.
08:54Oh, you're right.
08:55Yes, sir.
09:00Good night, Billy.
09:01Good night.
09:01Good night.
09:02Good night.
09:02Good night.
09:03Good night.
09:03Good night, sir.
09:03Thank you, Maggie.
09:20Why didn't you come down for a drink?
09:22I thought you'd do enough for both of us.
09:25Besides, I had some work to do.
09:31Bernard was disappointed
09:37the chairman of the constituency party
09:40likes the member
09:42to be seen
09:43in the company of his elegant lady wife
09:45when the said member
09:47is pushing out the boat
09:49in jolly armly
09:52the constituent
09:53I have work to do
09:56we'll go hand in hand tomorrow
09:58to this thing you're opening
09:59and to the club
10:02I don't like that cocktail bar crowd
10:05I'd have been about a bottle and a half
10:06behind tonight
10:07that's no fun at all
10:10fun?
10:11Jesus
10:12darling when did I ever suggest
10:14there was ever any fun in hell
10:17duty
10:19diligence
10:20no bless oblige
10:23did you stay on scotch all night?
10:29don't forget your glass of water
10:34what sort of condition
10:35do you leave Bernard in?
10:43here you live
10:47there's a little bother brewing
10:50he tells me
10:52not quite the night
10:53to take it all in
10:54the cherry O.P.E.
10:56was all nods and winks
10:58as is his way
11:00but
11:01how serious?
11:03well as I say
11:04not at my forensic best
11:07but
11:07the
11:08the message seems to be
11:13that I must watch
11:15our new agent
11:18the secret sound
11:20of plotting
11:21has been heard
11:23the knives are out
11:25I think
11:25he was friendly enough
11:27last time we were here
11:29polite anyway
11:32rather than attractive young man
11:35in an intense sort of way
11:38very different
11:39from old preacher
11:40but what do you expect
11:41different centuries
11:42almost
11:48you shouldn't have drunk
11:49so much tonight
11:50you may have the whole thing wrong
11:57you are capable of that
12:03my eyes still look
12:05astonishingly frank
12:08honest
12:12Chris
12:13cross
12:14Chris
12:16very clever
12:19surprised that hasn't appeared in print
12:21who quoted that?
12:23an old friend
12:24who else?
12:27but it wasn't political
12:29it concerned my sexual activities
12:32a long time ago
12:35when I was
12:37an uninhibited
12:38object
12:41what's that you're working on?
12:44a new novelist
12:45a woman
12:45are we good?
12:47oh she's lucky
12:48we may sell all of 500 copies
12:49she could get some magazine work
12:51out of it though
12:56did you phone the boys?
12:57I did
12:58they had what David called
12:59a few friends
13:00and it sounded like Woodstock
13:04are you going to be strong enough
13:06for tomorrow?
13:09I like a hangover
13:10when I'm conducting
13:12members surgery
13:14it stops me listening
13:15too closely
13:16it assists
13:17a very necessary
13:18skepticism
13:23it's persecution
13:25Mr. Tomlinson
13:27there's policemen
13:28everywhere I go
13:29it's the special branch
13:31they keep photographing me
13:36it started
13:38on the front
13:39and landed
13:39no
13:40last August bank
13:42and now
13:43I can't go in the laundry
13:45without them watching
13:47and taking notes
13:48there's blacks in the special branch
13:51as well
13:54and the telephone
13:56at the jolly collier
13:58is being tapped
14:08guard protectors
14:11but they're not all
14:12as balmy as that
14:13now are they?
14:14no
14:16the most common condition
14:18is helplessness
14:20not paranoia
14:29the WVS
14:30or the old biddy
14:31in the local
14:31sub post office
14:33surrounded by
14:34packets of paper doilies
14:35could tell the majority
14:36of these
14:37supplicants
14:38all they need to know
14:39just as well as I can
14:40but they don't have
14:41your way to push
14:43your access
14:44to the mighty
14:45of the land
14:48I am not much
14:49activated anymore
14:51by the sorry tale
14:52of Mrs. Bagshaw's
14:53spluttering
14:54gas cooker
14:56or the saga
14:57of Mr. Bagshaw's
14:59disintegrating
15:00lawnmower
15:02or the disputed
15:03distance
15:04of the little
15:04Bagshaw's
15:05walk to school
15:07I am very bored
15:09with all the
15:09Bagshaws
15:10in my life
15:11they are
15:12exceedingly
15:13tiresome
15:14people
15:14with their
15:15unending letters
15:16in green
15:18sloping
15:18ballpoint
15:19on both sides
15:20of
15:20jumbo
15:21jotting paper
15:22never a comma
15:23or a full stop
15:24and their
15:26amazing spelling
15:29and their
15:30repetitive
15:31maddening
15:31references
15:32to a
15:32certain
15:33official
15:33and their
15:35envelopes
15:36with confidential
15:37in capital letters
15:39underlined
15:40three times
15:41across the top
15:42left hand
15:44corner
15:48and the slight
15:50but nauseating
15:51smell
15:52of old
15:53bacon fat
15:55which is the
15:56one certain
15:57thing their
15:57letters communicate
16:00I am very
16:02very bored
16:03with all
16:04the bloody
16:05Bagshaws
16:06in the world
16:15you don't have
16:17to stay in
16:17parliament
16:20I do
16:24if I'm ever
16:25going to be
16:26in the
16:26cabinet
16:35leave it with me
16:35then Miss Dawson
16:36I'll see if I can
16:37get some satisfaction
16:38out of the ministry
16:39it may take a little
16:40time
16:41but I'll try and
16:42prod things along
16:44and I do
16:44understand your
16:45anxiety
16:47well
16:47goodbye for now
16:48then
16:49goodbye
16:50thank you for
16:51seeing me
16:52that's what I'm
16:53here for
17:08that was the
17:09last wasn't it
17:16full morning's
17:16work Ron
17:18aye
17:19waiting
17:19I've seen
17:20bills up
17:25I've had a lot
17:25to do
17:27I would have been
17:28up sooner if there
17:29had been anything
17:29terribly important to
17:30see to
17:30well they're all
17:31important aren't
17:32they
17:33well of course
17:37well the two of
17:38our visitors this
17:38morning
17:38are very familiar
17:40to me
17:41the people with
17:42the worst problems
17:43the ones who
17:44get the roughest
17:45deal from life
17:45aren't always the
17:47ones who make
17:47the most fuss
17:48so someone's
17:49got to make
17:50the fuss for
17:50them
17:50that's us
17:51isn't it
17:59you and I
17:59don't know
18:00each other
18:00very well
18:01do we
18:03well I
18:04think I've
18:05read most of
18:05the stuff
18:06you've had
18:07published
18:08most of
18:09what's been
18:09written about
18:10you
18:11quite a lot
18:12of that
18:13interesting
18:14reading
18:15you've
18:16attracted a
18:16load of
18:17attention
18:17for somebody
18:18who's
18:19not been
18:20first eleven
18:22the nearly
18:22man
18:24do you get
18:24mad about
18:25headlines like
18:26that
18:31I'm sure you
18:32don't believe
18:32everything you
18:33read in
18:33tribune
18:36or the
18:36local organ
18:37of light
18:37and learning
18:40incidentally the
18:40editor of
18:41Der Spiegel
18:41here has
18:42invited me to
18:43Sunday luncheon
18:45well it'll
18:46never happen
18:46to me
18:51look
18:53I've got to
18:53meet Bernard
18:54King and the
18:54Praetorian guard
18:55at the club
18:55I'm a bit late
18:56already I'd like to
18:57buy you a drink
18:57no it's
18:58I've got some
18:59paperwork to do
19:01I'll meet
19:01the wife
19:02later
19:03I'll see you
19:03this afternoon
19:04of course
19:10but we ought
19:11to get to
19:11know each
19:11other better
19:12you're only
19:12the second
19:13agent I've
19:13ever had
19:15old Morris
19:15Ballester used
19:16to keep me on
19:16straight and
19:17narrow here
19:17for fifteen
19:18years
19:19he and I
19:19could read
19:20each other's
19:20minds
19:22can you find
19:23time to have
19:23a relaxed
19:24talk over a
19:25pint or two
19:25before tomorrow
19:26night
19:27no business
19:31yeah
19:33yeah
19:49you know
19:51that's one
19:52thing that
19:52happens
19:52when you
19:53start clearing
19:54old property
19:55and laying
19:56out new
19:56estates
19:57you see
19:57the shorter
19:58little friendly
19:59nooks and
20:01crannies
20:01you know
20:02where a
20:02lad can
20:03get his
20:03knee
20:03trampled
20:08some of
20:09these
20:10young
20:10lads
20:10and
20:10lussies
20:11from
20:11the
20:11new
20:12flats
20:12down
20:12the
20:13way
20:13they
20:13thought
20:14they
20:14got
20:14the
20:14right
20:15idea
20:15up
20:16the
20:16guinil
20:18this
20:19chap
20:19that
20:19complained
20:20to
20:20me
20:21he had
20:22a bit
20:22straight
20:22laced
20:23and not
20:24too
20:25brave
20:25he didn't
20:26know
20:26what to
20:27do
20:27about
20:27it
20:27and
20:28he
20:28didn't
20:29chase
20:29him
20:29off
20:29you
20:29see
20:31so
20:31well
20:32I thought
20:32I got
20:35the answer
20:35I said
20:36now
20:36then
20:36you have
20:37an outside
20:37toilet
20:38haven't you
20:38at your
20:38place
20:39he said
20:39I said
20:40well
20:41next time
20:41it happens
20:41you get
20:42into that
20:43glory hole
20:43and you
20:44make as
20:45much noise
20:45as you
20:45can
20:47you know
20:49real
20:49thundering
20:50rear end
20:50stuff
20:53I
20:55said
20:55drop
20:56of
20:56milk
20:56stout
20:56alone
20:59I
21:00well
21:00do
21:01a bit
21:02of
21:02shouting
21:03shout
21:03for your
21:03missus
21:04about
21:04some
21:04more
21:04paper
21:06kick
21:07up
21:07a
21:07racket
21:11he
21:12looked
21:12a bit
21:12of
21:12scons
21:13at
21:13me
21:13however
21:14off
21:14he
21:14went
21:15I
21:15didn't
21:16see
21:16him
21:16for
21:16about
21:16two
21:17weeks
21:17after
21:18I
21:18met
21:18him
21:18in
21:18street
21:19outside
21:20co-op
21:20hardware
21:20shop
21:21I
21:21said
21:22well
21:22how
21:22did
21:22you
21:22go
21:22on
21:23he
21:23said
21:24it
21:24worked
21:24to
21:25treat
21:25I
21:26know
21:26more
21:26trouble
21:27there
21:27he
21:27said
21:27I'll
21:28tell
21:28you
21:28one
21:28thing
21:29he
21:29didn't
21:30forget
21:30about
21:30your
21:30milk
21:31stout
21:32Chinese
21:33chippy
21:37chow
21:38mine
21:38and
21:38peep
21:39he
21:39said
21:41that's
21:41your
21:41fella
21:41for
21:42farting
21:46hello
21:57that's
21:58classy
21:58bit of
21:59tailoring
21:59chris
21:59be
22:00tapping
22:00your
22:00father
22:01in
22:01law
22:01I
22:02see
22:02pokery
22:02general
22:03Navarro
22:04left
22:04him
22:07now
22:07then
22:08bernard
22:08are you
22:09fit
22:09it's
22:10you
22:10once
22:10keep
22:11fit
22:11me
22:11lad
22:12I'll
22:12just
22:13hold
22:13your
22:13coat
22:23adiculturist
22:24we call
22:24ourselves
22:25not in
22:26casual
22:26conversation
22:27but
22:28under
22:28official
22:29circumstances
22:31you've
22:31seen our
22:31club
22:32note
22:32paper
22:32haven't
22:32you
22:33I've
22:33written
22:33to you
22:34often
22:34enough
22:34oh
22:35I know
22:35you've
22:35got
22:35other
22:36fish
22:36to
22:36fry
22:36I'm
22:37not
22:37complaining
22:37wouldn't
22:38be
22:38seen
22:39you're
22:40here
22:40today
22:40and
22:40it's
22:41an
22:41honor
22:41and
22:42a
22:42good
22:42idea
22:42to
22:42spare
22:42the
22:43time
22:45if
22:46at first
22:46you
22:46don't
22:46succeed
22:47that's
22:48my
22:48philosophy
22:50breeding
22:50show
22:50birds
22:51teaches
22:51a man
22:51patience
22:53and
22:53a bit
22:54of
22:54cunning
22:55like
22:56a
22:56politician
22:56you
22:57have
22:57to
22:57learn
22:57to
22:58play
22:58close
22:58to
22:58your
22:59chest
22:59if
22:59you
22:59want
22:59to
22:59get
23:00all
23:00the
23:00prizes
23:01I'm
23:01sure
23:02you
23:03know
23:04they're
23:04shy
23:04about
23:04publicity
23:05they're
23:05fancy
23:06there's
23:07a fair
23:07bit
23:07of
23:07money
23:07to
23:08be
23:08made
23:08out
23:08of
23:08it
23:08you
23:08know
23:09selling
23:10them
23:11but
23:11you've
23:11got
23:11to
23:11be
23:12ruthless
23:12it's
23:13money
23:13you're
23:13after
23:14there's
23:14no
23:15room
23:15for
23:16sentimentality
23:17show
23:17day's
23:17over
23:18drop
23:19them
23:19in
23:19a
23:19bucket
23:19of
23:19water
23:21I
23:21couldn't
23:21ever do
23:22that
23:22I
23:23keep
23:23all
23:23my
23:24pensioners
23:24do you
23:25have
23:25any
23:26obvious
23:29you know
23:30when a man
23:31wins a show
23:31like this
23:32he's
23:3210 feet
23:33tall
23:33would you
23:34like to
23:34handle
23:35one of
23:35these
23:35birds
23:36well
23:36I
23:36might
23:38hurt
23:38the
23:38creature
23:38just
23:39give you
23:39an
23:39idea
23:39of
23:40what
23:40it's
23:40all
23:40about
23:41here
23:41come on
23:42my little
23:42beauty
23:43ah
23:43that's
23:44it
23:45that
23:46Mr. Tomlinson
23:47is a thing
23:48of beauty
23:49breeds there a man
23:51so base
23:52he can't see
23:53God
23:54in the perfect
23:55budget
24:12Oh God
24:13Alice
24:14I think
24:15you've
24:15found
24:15something
24:16serious
24:16no
24:18it's
24:19hard to
24:19see
24:19somebody
24:20about it
24:21perhaps
24:21I need
24:22traction
24:25they hang
24:25about by
24:26the thumbs
24:26don't
24:26they
24:28tall men
24:29who drink
24:29a lot
24:29and don't
24:30get enough
24:30exercise
24:30are commonly
24:31prone to
24:32back trouble
24:32in middle
24:33age
24:34it's to do
24:35with the
24:35redistribution
24:36of weight
24:38I'm tired
24:40that'll have
24:41to do
24:53I look terribly
24:54ancient
24:55you look
24:5555
24:56thank you
24:56you are nearly
24:5752
24:59I work very hard
25:00qualified yes
25:01to that
25:04why qualified
25:05you have
25:06what should we
25:07call it
25:08an unusually
25:08high coasting
25:09speed
25:09I wouldn't
25:10say you
25:10were overtaxed
25:12good
25:13God
25:15you're
25:15nagging
25:16me
25:19I'm
25:19lost
25:20your words
25:21unimaginable
25:27well
25:29if I'm
25:30not working
25:30what am I
25:31doing here
25:32hard to get
25:33a spare minute
25:34no wonder
25:35I look my
25:35age
25:37Alice
25:37that's most
25:38unfair
25:39it's true
25:40I noticed it
25:41most forcibly
25:42this afternoon
25:42against the
25:43background of
25:43all that
25:44animation
25:45you looked
25:46a real
25:47lounge
25:47lizard
25:50a lounge
25:51lizard
25:52that's a
25:53terrible
25:53accusation
25:55has the
25:56most appalling
25:56connotations
25:58frivolous
25:59limp
25:59vapid
26:01camp
26:04I'm not
26:05any of those
26:05things
26:05am I
26:08well what
26:09then
26:09it's just
26:10that you
26:10used to
26:11try a lot
26:12harder
26:13the sort of
26:14thing we were
26:14at this
26:15afternoon
26:17what's
26:17happened to
26:18all the
26:19easy jokes
26:19and the
26:20warmth
26:20and the
26:21joining in
26:23I've never
26:24had warmth
26:27you pretended
26:28it then
26:29and very
26:30convincingly
26:32do you
26:33have any
26:35personal
26:35complaints
26:37do you
26:41I worry
26:42a bit
26:45I'll bear it
26:46in mind
26:50oh thanks
26:51it's chilly
26:51up here
27:03too long
27:04in the wilderness
27:05perhaps
27:07whoever coined
27:08that overworked
27:09phrase got it
27:10exactly right
27:11for me anyway
27:14I don't flourish
27:15out in the
27:16cold
27:18and time's
27:19getting short
27:19for me
27:21I've done
27:21nothing much
27:22yet
27:24six months
27:25as a junior
27:25minister in
27:26that last
27:26farce
27:28with a
27:29government
27:29that had
27:30lost its
27:30purpose
27:31all we did
27:32was to
27:33keep
27:33dressing
27:34windows
27:35totally
27:35ineffectual
27:42he should've
27:43given me
27:44the chance
27:44this time
27:47he he he
27:50arses
27:51for garse
27:51a careful
27:54selection
27:54of the
27:56combative
27:57the adroit
28:01and the
28:02sentimental
28:04it's called
28:05balance
28:06balance
28:07who's for
28:08the
28:08seesaw
28:13I've got
28:13ideas
28:15I can
28:16help
28:19oh
28:20it's a
28:20sod
28:22sorry
28:24that's all
28:28what time
28:29do you make
28:29it
28:32quarter to
28:33seven
28:35make sure
28:36to get
28:36down to
28:37the bar
28:37and break
28:37it up
28:38about
28:38half past
28:40then we
28:40can have
28:40some dinner
28:42and then
28:43we can
28:44have the
28:44thrill
28:46the
28:47Brackley
28:47Labour Club
28:48Saturday night
28:49knees up
28:50hey
28:50bring your
28:51old French
28:51chalk
29:01here
29:01oh that's
29:04good we can
29:05have the
29:05best
29:05ourselves
29:05all right
29:06Chris
29:07that is
29:07until the
29:08mighty
29:08well it
29:08so appears
29:09from
29:09floor
29:30well
29:31tell me something about your background
29:33common enough
29:35eleven plus
29:36grammar school
29:37teachers training college
29:39back to school
29:40married
29:42you know that
29:43two kids
29:45council house
29:48can't tell Marge from butter
29:49do me own garden
29:51let the wife buy me clothes
29:54just a simple working class lad
29:59nothing simple about you
30:01rather complex I think
30:03but very working class
30:05immutably
30:08what did your father do
30:09he's dead
30:12died at work
30:13or indifference
30:14there's a lot of it about
30:17he was a labourer
30:18up at the chemical place
30:19drank a lot of that
30:21why not
30:24why not
30:30how'd you get started in politics
30:32grammar school
30:34I hated it
30:36they were waging the class war
30:38on the kids
30:40and it's not a joke
30:41they nurtured class pretensions
30:44they had this ridiculous idea
30:45they could run it like one of your lot
30:47the traditional English public school
30:50place was a bloody dream factory
30:52they taught obedience
30:53so they tried to
30:55that was the overriding intention
30:57talk like a home county's gentleman
31:00think like one
31:01play
31:02raga
31:03like one
31:04in an area surrounded by half a dozen professional football clubs
31:10I started recruiting for the
31:11labour league of youth
31:14holding little meetings in the dinner hour
31:17the headmaster told me to keep politics out of school
31:21all the time I wanted to kick that old swine in the balls
31:25he was the most sinister man I've ever met
31:27they actually wanted to change us
31:30make us deny our true circumstances
31:34pretend all our experience at the shit of life didn't really exist
31:40try to the unseen army
31:44the think police of the English establishment
31:48do you
31:49do you want to progress in politics
31:53yes
31:54how
31:55I want to be more effective
31:57so that I can make politics more effective for the kind of people I come from
32:02we need much better organisation
32:04at least double the number of full-time professional agents
32:07that's not for me
32:08I won't do it for a living
32:10you're very prickly Ron
32:11you can't expect my kind of upbringing to produce your kind of poise
32:17I'm accused often enough of
32:18walking all over people's sensibilities
32:20yeah
32:21with effortless elegance in every stride
32:25you envy it
32:26want it
32:27Christ no
32:28why do you resent it
32:32what
32:33I don't know what it's doing in this party
32:36in this town
32:38and you don't trust it
32:39it's distracting
32:41dazzling when you want it to be
32:43but I'm worried about what people think they're voting for
32:46every MP
32:47or what they've been voting for
32:54you've always had a big women's vote
32:56should I apologise for that
32:58there's lots of new young voters
33:03are you saying that my sexual pull is diminishing
33:08you used to have quite a reputation didn't you
33:10as a Hampstead Ram
33:17you have one very valuable political quality Ron
33:22the capacity to surprise
33:27you think we know each other better now
33:34are there any other objections to me that I don't know about
33:36apart from this touching concern for my fading glamour
33:39if that's what I've been surviving on all year
33:42there have been changes in the composition of one or two committees as you know
33:47that's bound to make for shifts in the balance and uncertainties isn't it
33:51I mean one or two of the younger lads
33:53are still feeling their way like me for instance
33:57but that's heavy business
33:58we weren't going to do that tonight were we
34:01no quite right
34:03I shall put my mind to all that in due course
34:06I should like you to be clear about this however
34:10I don't think it necessary to deny my real circumstances
34:14being a son of the middle classes
34:17or for being an intellectual rather than an emotional MP
34:22or for commanding income by the use of that intellect
34:25in addition to my MP's salary
34:27or for marrying someone who also earns substantially
34:31I was not asked to defend my tastes in life
34:34when I was first adopted here
34:36and I hope your new committee men
34:39won't expect me to now
34:43and I can hold this seat on a personal vote
34:47rather than a party one
34:49if that should be required
34:53I think you always have
34:56you know it's a funny thing about working class communities
34:59they don't
34:59they don't like politics very much
35:03one or two of us
35:05of the same generation are trying to do something about that
35:10I wish you well
35:25the long range desert group
35:28I must say
35:29I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it
35:35I couldn't tolerate the real army there
35:38far too dangerous
35:40so off I went
35:42with my little band of cutthroats
35:44a couple of Glaswegians
35:47from the Razorgav
35:48and a hideous little housebreaker from Manchester
35:51you could see in the dark
35:53definitely animal rather than human
35:55we kept well clear of the enemy of course
35:58I say
36:02do you think a few minutes of that every day
36:04would help my back?
36:08oh
36:09clearly not
36:10why did you make more use of your war?
36:12you can still surprise me with it
36:14it hardly ever gets mentioned
36:15in any of the material written about you
36:17no thank you dear
36:18the other lot can have all the galloping mages they want
36:20oh I'm not suggesting you claim your rank
36:22or grow a scrubbing brush on your upper lip
36:23I just thought the odd reminder
36:26of a young heroic warrior
36:27might not go unheeded
36:30not at all in keeping with the mood of the times
36:32what is the army today
36:33it's that poor young sod getting spat on
36:35in Belfast on the television news every night
36:38because he can't get a decent job at home
36:40hey
36:41imagine the reaction
36:43from our two
36:44if I suddenly announced
36:45that I was going to call myself
36:47Major Tomlinson
36:48why they leave home
36:52I hope they're behaving themselves
36:54got blind on my bloody scotch last night
36:56I wouldn't wonder
36:57I can't imagine where they'd pick up the habit
37:04well
37:04I suppose I'd better go and get changed
37:07you will pick me up at 12.30 at Berners
37:09won't you
37:11this lunch date can't be avoided
37:12I must keep Jeff sweet
37:14I'm glad I'm not going to be on my own
37:16I'll smile for both of us
37:18oh thank you
37:22you know there's a competitive eccentricity
37:24in this brute of a town
37:25that I've never quite fathomed
37:28the enigma of Englishness I suppose
37:32I think we've got to accept
37:36and you've got to accept it Chris
37:39that you've not helped yourself much
37:41but I've been here as often as you should have been
37:45well perhaps I'm at fault there
37:48so is the rest of the old guard
37:50for not warning you
37:53the fact is we've all got a bit sloppy
37:56let's face it
37:58we dropped votes last time
38:00and it's a safe seat
38:03and you're a big name
38:05but don't let's forget
38:07what happened in the past
38:09to some other safe seats
38:12Jenny Lee for example
38:15well if Nive Evans Widow
38:17can get the boat
38:18don't let's talk about safe
38:20and keep saying
38:21God's in his heaven
38:22and all's well
38:25so Chris
38:26first thing
38:28we've got to see more of you
38:31you've got to face it Chris
38:35hey let's talk plain
38:37there are party workers in this town now
38:40the new wave
38:42young fellas with things on the mind
38:46and you haven't even shaken hands with them yet
38:50they've never seen you like we saw you
38:5316 years ago when you descended on us
38:55what full of fight
38:57a young fella with a big future
38:59a brain box from transport house
39:02plenty of swank
39:04and
39:05new young wife
39:07and firstborn in your arms
39:10best electioneering pictures known to man
39:14what I'm trying to say is
39:17nobody can turn back the clock
39:20we know you're a good one
39:22and we're going to stand by you
39:24arms still in the chair
39:25and I'm not going to be pushed out
39:27without a right set to
39:28with the gloves off
39:30the old guard will see you through
39:34well
39:34as long as we don't all start
39:36biting open the cemetery
39:40now then
39:41what you
39:42and
39:43all this has got to do
39:44is to get this new campaign of yours
39:47going right now
39:48we've got to be ready
39:51and for a start
39:52you want to put a few things round
39:54that'll
39:55scotch that stuff about your posh background
39:58what I call your
40:00cocktail sausage image
40:03and
40:04these
40:05two lads of yours
40:06going to the local comprehensive school
40:09according to your socialist principles
40:11are they
40:13that's fine
40:13and that's another thing
40:15that a lot of folks around me
40:16should know about
40:17for a start
40:20well
40:22now then
40:23I think it's just about time
40:25that we looked at where you stand
40:26with regard to
40:28public ownership
40:29of building land
40:39you don't mind this do you Chris
40:41we need some up-to-date stuff on you
40:43time takes its toll of us all
40:45I thought this would be a good opportunity
40:47to catch up with Anno Domini
40:48ha bloody ha
41:09could you turn your head a little please
41:12the other way
41:14that's too much
41:15back a bit
41:16you look as if you're at the dentist Chris
41:18very stiff upper lip
41:21you did say a formal portrait
41:24very still
41:25please
41:27soon be over
41:28you'll feel no pain
41:30I'm sorry Kenneth
41:36well we've never made any burns about it
41:39when we took the decision about London
41:41the important thing
41:42was simply filthy lucre
41:43that awful stuff called money
41:46oh Jeff had the offers
41:48but when we started thinking about house prices
41:52and all that ghastly travelling in and out
41:54and we did our sums
41:55we decided to stay in the sticks
41:58and save our pennies
41:59and God knows what we would have had to pay
42:02for a setting like this down there
42:03doesn't bear thinking about
42:06it's a lovely spot
42:08we like it
42:09and you really wouldn't imagine
42:11that there were all those chimneys
42:13and all those awful chemical smells
42:15just two miles down the road now
42:17would you
42:17you certainly wouldn't Ethel
42:20would you like some more sherry
42:22just sing out you know
42:23there's no shortage of booze in this house
42:26that's one good thing about being married to a newspaper man
42:31you know somebody once told me
42:33that the insurance companies place newspaper men
42:36equal second with doctors
42:38as a high alcohol risk
42:39just one step behind bootmakers
42:43I don't know where politicians come in the league table
42:48I've seen some of them knock a bit back
42:50in the line of duty
42:52oh they're having a long session out there
42:54your poor husband must be dying for a drink
42:57do you think we ought to go and drag them in
43:00I think Chris could well be getting a little tetchy by now
43:13get free
43:14do stop pounding the poor man
43:17or else Alice is going to complain to the press council
43:29oh god save us
43:30oh my god
43:31oh dear god
43:31what have I done to deserve that
43:33no one should have to put up with it
43:35those people are not of the human race
43:38that woman is a nightmare figure
43:40a trilling grinning demon
43:42an intolerable chattering thing of the devil
43:46a bloody one woman coven
43:48oh god what a punishment you have visited upon me
43:51I have sinned with women
43:53and so you have sent that plague of a woman
43:55to excoriate my tender flesh
43:57oh god how I suffer
43:59I may never recover
44:01there is nothing more excruciating in this dreadful life
44:04than the incessant blabbering of a coy woman
44:07shut up Chris
44:08coyness is unpleasant in a child
44:10in a middle-aged woman
44:11with a heart like a house brick
44:13and a brain like a string bag
44:14it is a crime against humanity
44:16shut up Chris
44:17it ought to be punishable by death
44:19bring back the rope
44:21bring back the rope
44:22bring back the rope
44:23shut up son you shut up
44:30have you got the key
44:47Dan Reed
44:48Dan Reed
44:59Billy!
45:02Billy!
45:04Somebody for Christ's sake!
45:25Alright, I'll do this.
45:37I'd come to the stage in the car then when I couldn't take any more.
45:41On and on and on.
45:43Self-pity, self-regard, self-obsession.
45:45Self-disgust.
45:45You wallow in it.
45:46Not wallow.
45:50It's a sort of defense.
45:51I thought you knew that.
45:52I thought it amused you.
45:53That's from 20 minutes ago.
45:55It doesn't.
45:57Why suddenly?
45:58Not suddenly.
46:00I haven't seen much of you in other people's company lately.
46:03I haven't liked being with you this weekend.
46:05I know.
46:05I'm not at my pleasantest here.
46:08But there are new pressures.
46:10You've developed a total disregard for other people.
46:13Including you?
46:14Yes.
46:15Except in the sense that I'm useful to you.
46:20You're vital to me.
46:21Like some sort of electrical aid.
46:23You switch me on and off.
46:24Plug in when required.
46:26Oh, Alice.
46:26It's true.
46:27You used to have tenderness.
46:28No, that didn't suddenly go.
46:30It's just that I have suddenly reached the point when I can't ignore its disappearance
46:33anymore.
46:35You're so eaten up with self.
46:36World against Christopher Tomlinson.
46:39I'm not sure you still have the capacity for tenderness.
46:42The boys get nothing from you.
46:44They're not boys anymore.
46:45They're young men.
46:45They've got their own lives.
46:46You used to like young men.
46:48Christ, the hours you gave the acolytes.
46:50All that brilliant chat in the pub.
46:52Did you ever realize I was jealous of that?
46:55But I wish you still had that...
46:58Some of that response to people.
47:00Some of that excitement.
47:06And...
47:08Dead.
47:08Dead.
47:11Is that how you see me?
47:14It's just this total self-absorption.
47:16That's all I see when I look at you.
47:21I didn't realize.
47:25It's the frustration, you see.
47:27I started to tell you about it yesterday.
47:32No, that's not quite right.
47:35I, uh...
47:37I said some of it yesterday.
47:41It's difficult.
47:47I feel...
47:50Panic, sometimes.
47:53It comes on at any time.
47:55There's no pattern to it.
47:58It's a mad feeling.
48:00It's absurd.
48:02I want to...
48:04Run somewhere.
48:06Or I just feel like shouting.
48:12I thought at first it was a touch of...
48:14Drinker's hysteria.
48:16What L. Churchill...
48:18Reverse of what he used to call...
48:20Black Dog.
48:24But it isn't.
48:25It's just the idiotic business of being me.
48:30Is it possible to go insane with frustration?
48:33I think it might be.
48:36Not that I...
48:37Not that I feel any loss of reason.
48:40Far from it.
48:42I suffer from this awful clarity of mind.
48:46I can see myself very objectively.
48:51An ambitious man.
48:54An able one.
48:57But also an uncommonly indulgent one.
49:01Who's wasted a lot of time.
49:03And regrets it.
49:07Nagged...
49:08By a moralist conscience.
49:11Inherited.
49:14And...
49:14Mistakenly thought...
49:16Drowned in pleasures...
49:18A long time ago.
49:20A man...
49:21Who wants to make up...
49:23All that lost ground.
49:26To prove his...
49:27Flair.
49:30And his compassion.
49:33But can't do it by his own abilities...
49:35And his own determination.
49:37Even if there are enough of these.
49:40Because he has to be approved.
49:43Voted for.
49:45Which makes him dependent...
49:47On the most capricious of factors.
49:51Other people's opinions.
49:59The panic I know...
50:02Is simply fear.
50:03I have to cope with it.
50:06I suppose I...
50:08What I do is to try to talk it down.
50:11I'm ashamed of it.
50:13Of course.
50:15I hate it.
50:17Bitterly.
50:22And I suppose that's what shows.
50:25Bitterness.
50:32Wouldn't drop me, would you, Alice?
50:40I didn't know I was hurting you.
50:43I suppose that's the worst thing.
50:45I didn't know.
50:54I love you very much.
50:58I need you very much.
51:03We need each other, don't we?
51:10It won't be enough, just to say that.
51:14Oh, I know.
51:19You don't have to cling on up here if they don't want you.
51:24There'll be a fight.
51:26I shall win.
51:28I shall win.
51:28You're going to hate the daily squalor of politics more and more.
51:32And your public pretense of not hating it.
51:35Is it worth the effort?
51:43Yes.
51:44The university's job?
51:46No.
51:48Sideshow.
51:49I want to be where I can influence the kind of country we have.
51:53I've got to be there.
51:55I ought to be there.
51:58I nearly am.
52:05All right.
52:14Thank you, dear.
52:14See you again soon.
52:16Oh, goodbye, Mrs. Tomlinson.
52:17Thanks.
52:18Goodbye, lovely dearie.
52:21What about all that shouting?
52:25Am I forgiven?
52:34Every kiss of heaven.
52:57Bye, bye, bye, bye, bye, bye.
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