Urquhart quotes from House of Cards (trilogy)

Images of Urquhart's Britain, the Newham gas explosion. Doesn't that rather sum things up, Prime Minister? A decaying and neglected tower block in the inner city crumbles and disintegrates, unable to withstand the blast, while a laissez-faire government stands idly by?

Absolute nonsense.

Is it? The King's doing what he can to help while the Prime Minister looks on, unmoved. Every picture tells a story. Isn't this a symbol of everything that is wrong with society today?

You might think that. You might very well think that. Something is very wrong.

So you're admitting responsibility then, are you? In that case, don't you think it's time that you stepped down—

I admit nothing of the kind. The unfortunate victims of the Newham disaster died as a result of reckless greed and irresponsibility. A fourth-floor tenant who was disinclined to pay his gas bill decided to bypass the meter and tap directly into the main. He made a botch of it, and succeeded in killing or maiming seventy-two of his friends and neighbors. End of story.

You don't think that the deep divisions in society are even partly to blame? You're quite happy with the way things are?

Indeed, I am not. There is a deep division in society today, between those who want to work and enjoy the fruits of their labours 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, people who don't want to take responsibility for their actions or their lives.

So you don't feel inclined to do anything about the situation?

On the contrary. I decided that the time has come to take quite drastic action. We're going to bring back National Service as the first step in a large-scale programme of public works. We're going to get our young people — all our young people — off their backsides. We're going to put a large investment into Britain's future. And we're damned well going to get our money's worth.

But what you're talking about is universal conscription in peacetime.

Listen. It can't be right that young people in the very flower and prime of youth should spend half the day loafing in bed, and the rest selling each other drugs and stealing from each other. Let's give our young people a chance to learn self-discipline again, a chance to feel proud of themselves and walk tall!

But this is a complete—

I have a great belief in Britain, you know. We are not a nation of social workers, or clients of social workers. We are not, please God, a nation of deserving cases. We are a fierce, proud nation, and we are still, God willing, a nation to be reckoned with!

Congratulations, Mr. Urquhart.

Thank you, sir. I was expecting you might want to dispense with such niceties.

Oh, by all means. I'm heartily sorry you're still Prime Minister, but I'm not in the least downhearted. The tide has turned against you, and I'm very glad to have played my part in that. I think you'll be out before the end of the year, Mr. Urquhart, and Britain will be all the better for it.

Your opinions, sir, are no longer of any interest to anyone but yourself. You have risked everything in opposing me, and you have lost. I have come here to demand your abdication from the throne.

The people won't back you, Urquhart.

I shan't need to consult them again, sir. They have re-elected me. And I cannot, and I will not, tolerate a monarch who is bitterly and publicly opposed to me. You must abdicate, sir. It is the only honourable course. You must see that.

Oh, I don't think you are in any position to speak of honourable courses. I'll continue to oppose you openly and publicly while I remain on the throne. And if I am forced to relinquish the throne, then I shall continue to fight you as a commoner. I shall welcome the opportunity, and I shall take very keen pleasure in defeating you in the polls.

I wouldn't bet on it, sir. I'm afraid you won't be of much interest as a commoner. I doubt if anyone will be particularly interested in what you have to say. You have no constituency, you see. No power base. You represent nothing but one talentless, discredited family. And very soon, you won't represent even that. You will represent nothing. You will mean nothing. You will be nothing.

Well, we'll see. I spent my whole life preparing to be King.

I feel no compunction, sir. You tried to destroy me.

No, I didn't want to destroy you, man. You wanted to destroy the Monarchy.

Not at all, sir. Don't you understand what I'm telling you? I have no wish to. It is you I want to destroy, not the Monarchy. My family came south with James I. We were defenders of the English throne before your family was ever heard of. It is to preserve the ideal of a constitutional monarchy that I now demand your abdication.

You're a monster, Urquhart.

You might very well think that, sir. But your opinion doesn't count for very much now, does it? Good day, sir.

[in a televised press conference] To quote the prime minister, "You might very well think that. I couldn't possibly comment."

You bastard!

Elizabeth

The Margaret Thatcher Memorial. Is there really no way of preventing it?

It would seem not. It's all been paid for out of the Foundation. And the site was earmarked fifteen years ago, apparently. For a time, there seemed some possibility of putting it up in Grantham. Where no one would have to look at it.

Elizabeth

Except the unfortunate inhabitants. Where is Grantham, anyway?

No one seems quite sure.

Elizabeth

Couldn't the Arts Council do something about it?

You forget, my dear. We abolished the Arts Council a year ago.

Elizabeth

Of course. Department of National Heritage?

No, not their pigeon, apparently. It seems the best we can hope for is to keep the scale of that thing down and perhaps plan a somewhat larger memorial of oneself to stand nearby.

Claire Carlsen implied that what we need now is a miracle, as if she thought me capable of splitting Earth's crust. [pause] The Earth's crust...

Elizabeth

Francis?

Suppose we leak information to the Greeks and the French that they have been cynically conned. There are massive oil deposits off the coast of Cyprus. The British and the Turks have known it all along and are now exploiting it to enrich themselves.

Elizabeth

No, it's too dangerous.

[excited] Thus provoking an international incident. A small war, perhaps! To which we can react with moral outrage, uniting the country behind a strong Prime Minister.

Elizabeth

But we couldn't control the outcome. We'd risk losing everything.

Better to do that than to slink away. One way or the other I'll be remembered. This could be our Falklands, Elizabeth.

Elizabeth

Francis, my dear. Safe now. It was the only way, my darling. You do understand.

Elizabeth... [dies]