Original subtitles

♪ Oh, my country ♪

♪ So fair and so wretched ♪

♪ Oh, remembrance ♪

♪ Of joy and of woe ♪

♪ Golden harps of the prophets ♪

Let's get this dodgy wheel fixed, hey, Connor?

♪ Oh, tell me... ♪

- Okay, are you ready? - It's nearly there, boys.

♪ Why so silent ye hang from the willows ♪

♪ Once again sing the songs ♪

♪ Of our homeland ♪

♪ Sing again of the days ♪

♪ That are past ♪

♪ We have drunk ♪

♪ From the cup of affliction ♪

♪ And have shed ♪

♪ Bitter tears of repentance ♪

♪ Oh inspire us, Jehovah ♪

♪ With courage ♪

♪ So that we may endure to the last ♪

♪ May endure ♪

♪ To the last ♪

Oh, that was something.

- Yeah? - Oh, hello.

Am I speaking to Susan McIntyre?

Depends who's asking.

This is Graham Hind. I'm an investigative journalist.

- I left a card and note through your door. - Didn't see it. Investigating what?

Birth clusters of... I think your son...

I've discovered your son might be part of a cluster of suspicious birth defects...

Come on.

- Wait. - I'm looking into what might have caused...

I already shouted about this. They found nothing.

Yeah, but I've spoken to three mums in Corby.

I think something might have poisoned the water, or electromagnetic radiation...

I got to go. Due at the park. Good luck, Mr. Hound.

Hind.

Shit.

Okay. Come on. We can't stay long, else your ice creams will melt.

Wife wanted to know if you want to come round for lunch. Or a drink?

That's, um... That's kind of you.

She was guessing you don't have much to do now your dad's gone.

Right.

Open the glove box.

- What? - Glove box.

Pat and the lads had a whip round in your dad's memory.

We all liked Len... at the plant.

I don't want this.

- It's a gift. In his memory. - Is it?

Until next time.

When it's not for my father in his memory.

And Pat needs something.

We were just trying to do something nice.

Put it back, then.

- I am sorry about your dad. - Don't you fucking dare.

Welcome to the site of Corby's Wonderworld.

Ted!

Get ready to have your big dipper dipped.

Why are you giving my address out to people?

And my number. You're not the Yellow Pages.

Are we talking about that journalist? You know he came to me.

Because you were blabbing at the bar.

What's wrong with that?

Three mothers?

You found three?

Oi! Oi, no! No crisps when you're dancing.

If you spill them, it's me who has to sweep the floor.

Pattie!

I weren't even looking, okay? One came into the bar.

The other was at the baby singalong Raymond puked at.

And the other's you.

Connor's got enough shit going on. I've got enough shit.

I... I can't get involved.

So don't.

But that is four of us, Susie, all with the same thing, at the same time.

Look, he just wants to talk, and you're good at talking.

Well, you're better than me anyway.

Bloke over there's staring at you.

His name's Max.

Is he thick?

Don't know the half of it.

Right. Here are the rules.

You don't get to stay over, and don't use my toothbrush.

It's pink and nice, and I like it tasting of me.

- Jesus Christ, what ya got in there? - You like it?

Not sure it won't give me a limp, but we'll give it a go.

Mum!

- Oh, shit. Sorry. Keep that warm. - Mum!

- Hey! What's wrong? - It's my hand.

Oh! Baby.

Okay, does it hurt?

- Ow. - Right. I'll go get your cream.

Ooh! Very good.

Fucking hell.

- Sorry. - Ah...

Right, let's get you back to bed.

He's just a mate.

Right, in we go.

Lay in bed.

Right...

Right. It might be infected.

But it's probably just calming down after the op, you know?

You know, the best thing you can do is sleep.

And if it's not right by morning, we'll go to the doctor's, okay?

Oh no. Now my mouth tastes of your nasty cream.

Right, you go to sleep, yeah? You need anything, you yell.

Oh no. I did it again.

Oh! I forgot to close your door. Night, buddy.

Is he yours?

Uh, no, I found him at a supermarket and brought him home with me.

What's with the fucked up hand?

Maybe you should go.

Well, no, I wasn't...

My dad's got a dead arm. Got it crushed at the steel plant.

Yeah?

I've got a headache now, you know, so...

Mutants come and mutants go.

Go kill someone else with that cock of yours.

Last chance.

Last chance? Really?

Jesus. Yeah, fuck off.

Still hot?

Yeah? Hey, come here.

You know, none of this is your fault.

I'm not even sure it's mine either.

Someone else... thinks it could be someone else's fault.

Someone from the newspapers.

Which is a bit...

Which is a bit of a surprise, really.

♪ God knows you're lonely souls ♪

♪ God knows you're lonely souls ♪

♪ Yeah, yeah ♪

♪ I believe there's a time ♪

♪ And a place ♪

♪ To let your mind drift And get out of this place ♪

♪ I believe there's a day ♪

♪ And a place ♪

♪ That we will go to ♪

♪ And I know you wanna share ♪

♪ There's no secret to living ♪

♪ Just keep on walking ♪

♪ There's no secret to dying ♪

♪ Just keep on flying ♪

♪ I'm gonna die in a place ♪

♪ That don't know my name ♪

♪ I'm gonna die in a space ♪

♪ That don't hold my fame ♪

♪ I believe there's a time ♪

♪ When the cord of life ♪

♪ Should be cut, my friends ♪

Oh shit.

He just keeps going. He's like a bee.

Or a... what are those bunnies from the advert?

Well, it's lovely to see.

I think it's worth giving it another go.

The thing is, this'd be his third op.

They keep getting infected and hurting him.

Connor, can you come over here into the light?

I'll give you a lolly if you come here.

Now you've let yourself in for it.

- Two. - Sorry?

Two lollipops.

I've only got one.

Three.

The kid can count, you can give him that.

Well, three's my final offer.

Good boy.

You're a brave boy.

This is where we could attempt the other skin graft. Just here, see?

When we've done that,

we'll probably be ready to take the next toe up and give him some grip.

So that's at least another two ops?

Susan, in my line of work,

I frequently see those who are less lucky than they should be.

Sometimes, these unlucky people can't be helped.

Connor can.

It's imperative that...

Roy. Roy. We need to talk.

- I've got some files. I'm concerned. - Not now.

You're always concerned about something.

- I had to go on a fucking litter pick. - I was there.

Yeah. Because you wrote a column in my Labour newsletter

that you were concerned about what was being thrown in my river!

Pat Miller.

- I don't know what filth you had us in. - Do you want to talk here, or go inside?

'Cause I've got stuff I think you're going to want to see.

I don't know where you got half of these from.

I don't know either. They were posted through my door.

Right.

These are serious breaches, Roy.

These files show repeatedly that Pat Miller...

that the tenders given to Pat Miller should never have been given.

- These are potential crimes. - Crimes? Come on, now.

Contracts worth hundreds of thousands of pounds going to the wrong bidder?

- What do you want to call it? - You're saying any of this is at my door...

Come on, Roy. If I thought you were on the take, I wouldn't even be here.

I know you're honest.

But I do want to know, how far does this go?

Leave it with me. Let me...

...work out what's happened here.

Right.

They're copies, by the way.

Sorry?

I made copies of all of them. They're no the originals.

Just thought you'd want to know.

Thought I was honest?

Um, right.

Don't get excited.

It doesn't feel right.

And I don't want to forget her.

We won't.

- How you doing? Okay? - I want to go home.

I know you do.

Do you know why they wear white in here?

No.

So, it's to make sure the place is clean.

They mop it all, then they polish it.

And then, they make the nurses do roly-polies down the floor

to check all the dirt's come off.

And if they see one speck of it on them, they make them all do it again.

That's why they're the cleanest places on earth.

I can't do roly-polies.

I can do about 15 in a row.

I'm famous for it. Probably should've been a nurse.

We're ready for you.

Mum, I don't want to go.

It'll be okay. You'll see.

Okay.

It'll be okay.

Okay, Connor.

Let's get you sorted.

Think of those nurses doing roly-polies, eh?

- I'll hold a mask on your face. - I know.

I want you to listen to me while I tell you a story.

Once upon a time, there was a magical kingdom,

and in this kingdom lived a very smart prince.

Hey. Tracey, right?

Yeah.

Susan.

You used to work with my old man before he left.

And you farted beside me in a hospital bed once

when you were pregnant.

Oh, yes.

So, how's the wee one?

She didn't...

She died.

- Oh, shit. - Yeah.

It's fine, um...

There was a complication. She was born very ill.

There was something wrong with her ear, but nobody noticed except me.

She was deformed?

- What the fuck is wrong with you? - No, I didn't mean that.

So's mine. So is my kid.

Here on his fourth operation. It's killing me.

What's he called, your boy?

Connor.

What's your little girl called?

You know, no one ever asked me that.

Did she not have a name?

Shelby. Shelby Anne.

That's a good name, that. Sounds like a picture.

She was so ill.

There were complications with her heart, her lungs, her kidneys.

Nothing had developed properly.

I'm so sorry, love, that you lost her.

I'm sorry it's tough with Connor.

It's all right.

I love him, and he loves me.

That's all right.

And now, I'm pregnant again.

You must be scared out your wits.

Mm-hmm.

And it's twins.

They say there's even less of a chance of successfully carrying twins, so...

But I think...

- I think... - I think you're right.

I think you'll be fine.

It's meant. They're meant.

You don't know that.

No, but I've always been good at guessing.

Uh...

There's a journalist...

Thinks our kids might've been born this way

because of some sort of poison in the water, or... electrics, maybe.

He's collecting names... of mothers.

I'm thinking I might call him. Maybe you'd like to speak to him too?

I'd love to.

I mean, it won't make a difference.

But if they listen to us, it might.

Anyway, I'll make it happen.

Nine, six, seven...

- Hello? - Hello, is this Graham?

It is.

- Yeah, it's Susan McIntyre. - Hi, Susan.

You called and put your card through my door.

- Wanted to write an article about my son? - That's right. About Corby.

- Yeah. - Mm-hmm.

Can you tell me again...

whose fault this could be?

Sam, come in.

Hello, both.

Sam.

I've been investigating what you gave me.

Good. I'd expect nothing less.

And there are things here we need to understand.

We'd like to talk to whoever gave you these papers.

I don't know who gave me these papers. They were posted through my door.

You don't believe that?

Roy, tell him. I might be irritating as hell, but I'm no a liar.

These have come from the executive office.

There's a start, Mr. Marple. How many are in the executive office?

And who the fuck is Mr. Marple?

- He's talking about Mrs. Marple. - Miss.

He's making a joke.

You know, I... I love watching this town change.

I mean, when Roy and I first started here,

you could not imagine pedestrianized zones.

It's quite incredible.

But change has to be done right.

Now, I've read those papers, and there's plenty to go on

without talking to whoever gave them to me.

You've got a problem in your council, Mr. Chief Executive.

Dig in.

Hey!

- Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. - You stop right there!

Come back here, you.

You're going to give me a bloody heart attack!

I've seen your hair!

And it's memorable!

I know who you are, Ted!

More of the same, eh?

I mean...

I gave you those so you could possibly stop what was happening.

It's getting worse.

If you saw what they're doing at Middlehampton...

I've taken everything you've given me to Roy.

Roy? No, no. He's no good.

No. He's deputy leader. He's good. He gets things done.

But... he said he needed to know who you are in order to investigate.

What did you say?

I said I didn't know who you are. Until now.

You threatening me?

No, son, you... you understand my meaning?

My... My point is...

You've chosen the wrong man here.

I'm no popular.

Nobody listens to me.

They think I'm just a... worthless old sod. And they might be right, to be fair.

I can't... change things.

Then take it to someone who can.

I've already told you, Roy's the man who gets everything done.

These are criminal acts, Sam.

You don't know that, son.

Take it to the police.

Here's the thing.

I like being a councilor.

And I do good being a councilor in many ways.

I see things that other people don't even notice.

And if I do this,

then I suspect I'm no going to be a councilor for much longer.

Do it anyway.

♪ Bright-eyed freedom stands before ye ♪

♪ Hear ye not her call? ♪

♪ At your sloth she seems to wonder ♪

♪ Rend the sluggish bonds asunder ♪

♪ Let the war-cry's deaf'ning thunder... ♪

"What are you doing?" He said, "I'm fishing."

He said, "What are you fishing for?" He says, "Mind your own fucking business!"

Third visit of the night.

Fucking prostate.

I hate this choir.

Well, you don't sing like you hate it.

Holding on to past glories.

Come on, you know it.

All this belongs to the works.

The carnival British Steel used to sponsor. The band. The choir.

It's the past.

There's bits of the past worth holding onto in my mind.

There were 11,000 unemployed in this town when the plant closed.

I know.

Nobody had a fucking clue what to do

until people who cared decided they'd make the best of the situation.

They'd stop us sinking.

Yeah. You know how much I've heard this?

Yeah, because it's true.

I stood in those dole queues.

Fucking desperate thinking I...

All of us... thinking we didn't have a chance.

We were like the miners. We were fucked.

You ever stood in a queue of 11,000?

I'm grateful for what came before, and I'm proud of what we're doing now.

Tories, Europeans. I'll take all their money--

I'm no so sure this is about the choir anymore.

Look... I've got arse aches enough, without...

They are twisting my bollocks.

Arse and bollocks, eh?

The Wonderworld theme park is sinking.

- Sinking? - It's fine. I've sorted it out.

But my point is... the point is,

I'm trying to keep my head out of water, Sam,

and when I get the leadership...

- You're running? - I will sort things out.

And, Sam, I think I can take you with me.

Deputy leader. Use it. Give the railway campaign a big kick.

But I need to show...

we need to show people that I am capable of cleaning up our messes.

And that means making sure progress is happening at speed,

and everything else is dealt with.

What's more important?

Progress... or the mess?

We can't have people leaking internal documents, Sam.

- What are you doing, Roy? - Come on.

- Let me past. - Get on the team!

Look what you've done.

I've got piss on my trousers now.

It's from the tap.

On the team?

On the line.

Because that's the way things are done, eh?

But it is.

You think any of them give a shit about us? The EU? Blair?

We take their handouts, we're grateful, but it's us that gets it done.

Unless,

people start making noises.

In which case, all the money can just disappear,

and I will not have that happen, Sam, not on my watch.

Give me the name.

Help me, and I will help you. I'm good for it. You know I am.

Do you know how long I've wanted to be taken seriously by you?

Being your deputy would mean the world to me.

- Then let's do it. - But I can't... have it.

I don't want it.

Not like this.

- Are you saying no? - I don't have a name for you.

Sam...

And...

I'm done with this.

Mum!

Come on!

You all right?

Heya, love. Um, you should read this.

I didn't know you read The Sunday Times, to be honest.

My Aunt Mabel rang me. She saw it. It's page ten.

It's a lot of kids.

And it's here.

Is this about Samuel?

I think so.

No.

Susan? Been a while.

- Read your bit in the paper. - It wasn't my bit.

Good excuse though? Eh?

For what?

For why your child's a bit of a fuck-up.

Now you want your fucking face in the pity papers?

- You don't know anything. - "Poor me. Poor me."

Marc?

Marc!

Whatever you're selling, it's not a good time.

Oh, I'm sorry. You're busy.

It's 8:00 a.m. How are you at 8:00 a.m.?

- Well, I wanted to catch you before work. - Yeah, come after.

Mama.

Oh.

What happened to your eye?

Domestic violence.

You're here because you read the article, right?

Look, I was just grateful to know I wasn't the only one.

He's a happy kid, but the pain of his operations...

And to think this could be someone's fault, well...

You were grateful?

Yeah. Very.

You can come in, but I'm not making you tea.

Clamp here, please.

Yeah, okay.

Now the second one.

Are they okay?

- They're okay. - They okay?

You're doing great.

- Mr. Taylor. - Here they are.

Look.

- Hello. - Hello.

Hello.

Hello.

Congratulations, Tracey.

They're perfect.

Oh, it's okay.

Hey, Ted! Teddy!

- No, Bill. I've got to get off. - Teddy, Teddy, Teddy.

Right you are.

Just letting you know... I've been suspended.

What? Why?

You know, my dad died too.

Ten years back. Pancreatic cancer.

He was also at the plant.

They said it was nothing to do with the... with everything.

But we know, right?

Used to think he was a big man.

'Cause he could drink anyone under the table

and handle himself in a scrap.

But he pulled his forelock to all sorts of cunts.

Only thing he said to me of any use... is work out how to do something

where you don't get shit on by those above you.

My dad used to say something like that.

But he was wrong.

The thing you've got to do is make sure you bow to the right people.

Find a clever bugger to follow, they'll keep you right.

Do you mean Pat?

And that means,

what's happened to me... it won't last.

But what they've done to you...

Well... that will.

What?

Mum, look.

You look better than I expected!

What were you expecting?

I'd be crippled if I had to push two out.

You must have a bucket.

They are so cute. All fingers and toes?

- Yeah. - Lucky.

- Connor! - Okay! Coming!

I need your help.

Okay...

I've had five mothers ring or turn up at my door, and lawyers fluttering about...

Right.

And you do accounts, so...

Yeah...

I need you to tell me what to do, and I promise I'll listen.

About what?

About the case. About what someone's done to us.

Maybe. About the cluster. What do you think?

You want my advice about whether there's a legal case to be fought or not?

I always thought it was my fault.

Something I'd done. My diabetes, or my...

"You never listen in school, you'll let yourself down, young lady."

I thought it was my fault that Connor came out hurt.

I thought it was me. Something wrong with me.

All the other mothers are saying the same because that is what we do.

We blame ourselves.

So, we've got to get the best lawyer we can.

And I don't know what to do.

You're an accountant. You're clever. So, help.

You don't look like a lawyer.

Don't I?

No wig'll be it.

Or my wig is extremely well concealed.

Don't tidy up on my account.

I'm doing it for me.

'Cause I'm ashamed.

Thanks for coming.

Thanks for asking me.

I presume you've had other legal interest?

Uh, six.

I'm meeting three. You haven't got the job yet.

Right.

Go on, then. Why do you want it?

Don't say for money because we don't have any.

It's about pursuing money, though. For you.

Getting the compensation that your son might need.

But, um...

Well, I... I believe why you're doing it.

I liked what you said in The Sunday Times, that... for you, it's about justice.

You want justice, do you?

I've... I've worked a few of these cases now.

The Southall rail disaster. Paddington. Watford.

You like a railway.

And, what I do is I make sure there's a case to be answered,

and then I work out how best to help.

You think?

You're not sure there is a case?

The others do.

Then they work differently to me.

I think you knew my dad.

Larry Collins?

Mr. Collins? My headteacher?

Yeah.

I grew up here.

Ah.

I worked in the steelworks for a summer job.

So, when I read the article, and I thought...

Well, I... I wanted to be useful to you.

I want the same justice you do.

I've been on dates with men like you with all the patter.

I don't trust it.

Could I ask how many parents have come forward to you now?

Seven. And three to Pattie at the pub.

That's all with disabled children of about the same age?

Roughly, yeah. I got them all written down.

Well, can I see?

It doesn't mean you've given me the case if you've shown me notes.

Sorry about the writing.

Right. There.

Well, this is... this is very useful... for whoever you appoint.

You don't think it's enough?

Well, you'll need to prove some things.

Where these mothers lived. What risk factors they shared.

Crucially, what that risk factor was.

How they all ended up having the same thing happen to them.

You need to prove negligence.

If we can show that, you can...

You can win the case.

And I won't cost anything. I don't charge until...

until after the case.

I don't trust people that work for free.

Well, then don't trust me.

Let me earn your trust.

Connor! Hey, get out of there!

It's all right. He can stay.

Hello.

What do you know about briefcases?

That what this is?

Yeah. Briefcases, they were developed using crocodile technology.

That mechanism you can feel at your back, that's a hinge.

And it has been calibrated, which means carefully made,

to...

snap shut at any point.

- Thought you needed to be warned. - Are you messing?

Yeah.

- Why? - Thought you'd find it funny.

"The council are announcing today a thorough..."

Oh, fucking hell.

"The council are announcing today a thorough review of what happened

to the children identified by the report in The Sunday Times."

Yeah. Um, "A thorough health review"?

Perhaps try something more formal.

"We will undertake a thorough review--"

- What the fuck is this? I'm being fired? - I'm in a meeting. Come back later.

Why the fuck are you doing this?

Your mileage expenses.

It's what I was told to do! Round up. Everybody else is doing it!

It's not just you, son.

We did a thorough review.

Too much swindling going on in this parish.

Bill Martin's gone. Larry Bryson from accounts.

It's a sad time.

I know why you're doing this. This is wrong.

- You're wrong. - I'm in the wrong!

And your father, God bless him, was honest as a penny piece, he was.

He'd be ashamed of this.

Are you putting out crisps?

- Are you paying for the crisps? - They'll buy drinks.

They won't! Women never do. But he can pay for the crisps if you like.

- I can pay for the crisps. - No, he can't. It's not his bar.

You got, what, ten coming, if that? Putting out snacks.

What happened to wanting to know if something's wrong.

I want to know.

I just don't want a... crisp party.

Is it true that your pop was Trenchfoot Collins?

- What? Why do you call him that? - You're annoying, Pattie.

Susie did it too. It's 'cause he was so old.

He was alright, though.

He let me get out of detention with period pains

three Saturdays in a row.

I don't know why you've put me in charge. I'm shit at organizing stuff.

You've already met seven mothers.

With the articles, and...

If we get seven tonight, that won't be bad.

And besides, if I remember rightly, no one's ever on time in Corby.

Hey.

Let me help you, babe.

Thanks for coming, Tracey.

Thanks.

Hiya. Okay.

- Hi, Maggie. - Hi.

- Take a seat. - Thank you.

Right.

See?

Yeah, yeah. Keep your wig on.

Okay.

Hiya.

Hello. I'm Susan McIntyre.

Uh, thanks for coming.

I won't talk for long.

I wasn't...

I didn't think there'd be so many of us.

Everybody out!

Call 999!

We're here to work out whether our kids were hurt

by something that shouldn't have been.

I want to introduce Des Collins.

He's a lawyer, but I quite like him.

He'll talk you through the rest of it.

Hello.

I believe you and your children have been seriously wronged.

We're going to find out who's responsible to bring you the justice you deserve.