Original subtitles

There will be just 30 minutes

before we know if the storm

will fuse a few kettles

or send us back to the Stone Age.

Anna...

you didn't answer my letters.

Four super-transformers

on the electricity grid have been burned out

leaving large areas of the country without power.

I have spoken to Her Majesty and informed her

of the measures I intend to take

under the emergency legislation.

Have you ever seen a transformer?

How long does transformer replacement take?

In some cases, it can be a question of weeks.

Northumberland can wait. Get the rest on the road

with military protection, immediately.

The situation's getting worse here, minute by minute.

So which virtue-signalling ponce

has been lined up to replace her?

Francine Bridge was one thought that occurred to me.

A little while ago, Georgia's parents agreed

to switch off her life-support machine.

Fire! Fire!

Get out of there.

I can't let Ellie face

the possibility of prison, Robert.

Leave it to me and Peter.

We will get through this.

A situation has developed

at the university next to

the Hadley Brooke Immigration Removal Centre.

It wasn't all of them.

Like, at first, it was really friendly, like

we had a party going on, and then...

But there were a couple

who started, like...

harassing the girls.

The main guy was the one with the face.

He had, like, markings on his face.

I don't know, like... like blotches down one side.

And he was the main troublemaker

he was the one who started dragging girls into rooms.

Things just started getting out of hand.

There was a fight and...

Then one of them tried to stop him, but...

he was the one that got stabbed.

Sir, buses are ready to go.

- Thanks. - Where are we goin'?

Our command centre is in the hospital.

It still has power

so we can try to arrange to get you home from there.

OK, it definitely wasn't all of them.

But the guy with the face markings

the ring leader, he was...

Yeah, he was just bad.

So if you bring this to us later

we'll definitely get them all signed.

I thought you were staying with Francine Bridge?

She was busy with her Resilience Forum

so I just, I checked into this hotel.

Are you OK?

- I'm fine. - Hm?

I'm fine.

What's happened at the university?

Well, as far as we can tell

it was all a big fiesta

while the students waited for evacuation.

Then a few of the escapees

from Hadley Brooke showed up, trouble started.

- Two girls were raped. - Oh, Jesus.

One of the escapees actually tried to stop it

and he was stabbed in the neck.

I wonder what angle the press will take.

There was a ringleader apparently.

He's been identified as

a violent criminal called Nojus Sabonis.

He was awaiting repatriation to Lithuania,

having served a six-year sentence

for an acid attack on his girlfriend.

- Have they found him? - No.

I have to go up there, Anna, to Northumberland.

Are you sure? It sounds like...

I'll wait and find out we're not just getting in the way.

But I have to go there.

The nation-wide blackout

that plunged the UK into darkness

over a week ago has still not

been completely resolved

and a significant part of the country

remains without power.

The government has declared a national emergency

with special measures

that include a ban on all unauthorised travel

within and between certain designated areas

especially the Red Zone of North East England.

This includes large cities

like Newcastle and Sunderland

which have effectively come to a standstill.

The travel ban has come under intense scrutiny

and criticism by opposition parties.

There are reports of people collapsing

after being forced to walk miles

to relief centres for basic resources

aid and shelter.

Can I see your paperwork please, sir?

Yeah, no problem.

Cheers.

They started coming

within a few hours of the blackout.

First in their tens, then their hundreds.

It's now thought that over 2,000 people

have sought refuge at the Royal Northumberland Hospital

where the relief operation in the Red Zone is currently...

Sorry.

"Freckles".

It was his prison nickname, apparently.

Mainstream media.

Just trying to demonise immigrants again.

Wait, wait, is the right answer "Western Foreign Policy"?

Sorry, how many kids got bombed

in the Yemen this week?

And who's going to prison for that?

He's got you there.

Can I just point out

this guy is not an impoverished asylum-seeker

but a hardened, woman-hating criminal from Lithuania.

He got the facial markings in an acid attack

on a defenceless young girl.

Yeah, save it for The Hague, you melt.

Right.

This neoliberal discourse will not write itself

so I am going to lock myself in the study

for the next hour or so.

I've got no idea what time I'll be back

so I'll probably stay at Maddie's again

- she's down in her constituency. - Yeah, sure.

Yeah, Fraser, hi.

Good morning, everyone.

So we've re-coded the zones

still without power or with very little supply.

Red Zone is Northumberland, north of Newcastle

and reaching as far as Stockton.

Yellow Zone is North Wales

from the Lleyn Peninsula across to Prestatyn.

Green is west coast of Scotland, north of Kilmarnock

and Blue is north Cornwall, west of Camelford.

The rest of the UK

approximately 80%, is in the White Zone

where power is almost fully restored

but subject to brownouts.

And we're visiting the Red Zone?

Mm-hm. We'll also stop

at the first roadblock between zones

so that PM can speak to some of the troops

enforcing the zonal traffic controls.

- Kettling. - It's not kettling.

People are walking out with what they can carry.

It's preserving precious fuel

so that we can keep our emergency centres running.

We leave straight after this morning's COBRA.

The PM will travel in his car.

You lot will follow behind

in a special bus also carrying medical supplies.

He'll come on board to chat from time to time.

And will this bus have some message of hope on it, or...

Cos I'm definitely going to fall for questions

about messages on the sides of buses.

Any update on Freckles?

Obviously, the search continues for the escaped detainees.

Can I please ask you to report this responsibly?

They're not refugees or failed migrants.

Several were hardened criminals

legitimately in the UK at the time of their arrest.

Is, er, Rachel Sutherland travelling with her husband?

- No. - Because of the situation

with their daughter?

There is no situation with their daughter.

I hear the police may interview Ellie again.

Er, is the PM going to make any comment

in light of Toby Kennedy-Brown's revelations to my paper?

You have me at a disadvantage, Cressida.

Well, he was at the party where Georgia Nixon died.

We're running a piece with him on Sunday.

Well, the Prime Minister is rather busy

trying to deal with the national emergency

but, of course, the entire family is devastated

by the death of a friend.

Right, see you all later for the big road trip.

I hope you all bought lots of refreshments.

I've invited Francine Bridge onto the bus.

She called me, "A monument

to unconscious sexism" at PMQs once.

Oh, you know, the cut and thrust of parliamentary debate...

Very unfair, I'm actually a feminist.

Never say that again.

Anna, I can't tell you how relieved

I was to hear you hadn't...

burned alive in that hotel.

- Thank you so much. - And hubby back safely, too.

Hope to see him back on our screens soon.

What's with the friendly snark?

No idea, but I don't like it.

So all I really know is one of the Sundays

is running a piece.

Well, it could just be about the dangers of fentanyl.

It could be.

Do you know a guy called Toby Kennedy-Brown?

- Yeah. - He was at the party?

Yeah.

He's the one been talking to the journalist doing the piece.

Toby?

He's, like, the biggest...

I mean, he'd stick his finger in a plug socket for a hit.

Just stick entirely to the story

you told the police the first time around.

Why do they want to speak to me again?

Georgia's father has been very vocal.

They need to be seen to be doing everything

they can to avoid any accusations of...

- Favouring the posh white girl. - Precisely.

He'd be right, though.

That's exactly what's going on.

Because posh white girls tend to fare

very badly in prison.

Just leave it with me. Alright?

This will all blow over soon

as long as we stick to the script.

Good morning, everyone.

Now, as you are aware

I shall be leaving for the Red Zone

immediately after this meeting.

I do think the current climate is unfavourable

for a visit by you, Prime Minister.

Well, running scared from the current climate

has never done us any favours.

The police are very anxious

that with conditions in the camp

the atmosphere will be intensely hostile to you personally.

They should attend a Cabinet meeting.

I have to say, Prime Minister, that I do share

the Home Secretary's concerns.

I have major worries about the security implications.

We should wait and send a Royal.

We have to show that we're not frightened.

Now I've asked the Press Secretary to uh...

request that the editors

ease off a little on this situation

with the Hadley Brooke rapists still on the run.

Catching Freckles would be a low-cost morale boost.

I have to question whether an extensive manhunt

is a reasonable use of scarce resources

during this current emergency.

He and his refugee mates did rape a bunch of girls.

Two.

I'm surprised to see you of all people

downplaying the seriousness of such a crime, Anna.

Well, I won't dignify that with a response

but the last thing we need right now

is a scare campaign against immigrants.

Oh, yes.

Heaven forbid we should put

anybody's interests above theirs.

Remember Cologne?

This was not Cologne.

And one of the escapees

nearly died trying to prevent it, remember?

I will take a very dim view on anyone

who fans the flames of xenophobia right now.

This country is on the brink.

We do nothing to further division or disorder.

Yeah.

OK, good, that one.

OK, hold on.

Fraser, a relief lorry has been hijacked near Doncaster.

- What was it carrying? - Bottled water.

- It's gonna cause a big problem. - Er...

Red Zone's already running close to zero.

We need a replacement on the road at once.

Er, yeah, the warehouses are also reporting shortages.

Then a tanker. Anything.

We can't have them running out of water

especially with the PM about to show up.

Fraser Walker.

Yeah?

Yeah, yeah, sure.

OK, leave it with me.

I'm shitting myself, Anna.

This is where you're at your best.

Thinking on your feet, dealing with a hostile crowd.

I have no empathy.

Of course you do.

I am not here to feel your pain.

I am here to tell you

how we're going to get the lights back on.

You see, that's good.

Everyone talks about empathy these days

but that's not gonna get the lights back on.

No, keep it first person.

You know, it's easy enough to uh...

hug survivors and blame the government

but it's much, much harder to actually put things right.

It's too obvious, it's too party political.

Plus it reminds people

that we haven't always been the party of hugs.

Kick out the jams, motherfuckers

I'd rather you hated me than forgot me.

Smashed it. Let's hit the road.

I called him "a monument

to unconscious sexism" at PMQs once.

Oh, don't worry, he won't remember that.

He's been called far worse.

Pleased to see you, Francine.

Monumentally pleased, in fact.

OK, I lied, he never forgets an insult.

I am glad you've joined us.

Hopefully, we'll get a chance to chat on the journey.

They're running low on bottled water in the Red Zone.

What do you mean you're running low on water?

I mean, blood, insulin, I can kind of get

but water is pretty damn basic, don't you think?

- Well, it's because... - I don't care about

the reason, Fraser, just get it bloody sorted.

I don't want to turn up there and see

crying kids begging for water.

That would look pretty fucking regrettable, don't you think?

No glitches, remember?

I shall see you anon.

I thought you might be going on the magical mystery tour.

Better stories here.

Have you actually been outside the M25?

Yes, I lived in Scotland actually.

I'm not sure

the University of St Andrews really counts.

I trolled the Press Secretary gently

with Toby Kennedy-Brown.

- Does he know what he said? - No.

Peter Mott and Rachel Sutherland have been

coaching Ellie for her police interviews.

If I were a journalist, I'd want to know

the degree to which

the Prime Minister sanctioned that.

And if I were a politician

I'd also be setting up a few ambushes at PMQs.

You need him to lie to parliament.

That's what always gets them in the end.

One step at a time.

Right, I'm on the radio in half an hour.

Listen up, cos I'm gonna melt a few snowflakes.

This is the second violent attack

in as many days, on drivers who are working around the clock

to try and deliver emergency supplies

to vulnerable people in the Red Zone.

Shit, that's all we bloody need.

General Secretary of the lorry drivers' union.

Well, I was wondering when we'd hear

from Comrade Rowntree.

What's he saying?

It's all our fault.

Not ruling out a national stoppage.

Peter.

OK, I'm just with Anna

so I'll talk to you at the next stop.

OK.

What's that about?

Ah, it's just Peter.

I said, "What's it about", not, "Who was it".

Ellie's just finished with the police, apparently.

Right. So, Peter's...

Francine Bridge must know

a thing or two about Harry Rowntree.

Have her come and sit up with us.

- That was terrible. - Well, it's over now.

They knew.

Don't think about it, it's finished.

Put it behind you.

Put it behind me?

Oh, Ellie, I... Oh, God.

Oh, I... I meant the interview, sweetheart.

Not Georgia.

Please, please stop torturing yourself.

Peter.

No, fucking awful.

This is the last of the water bottles!

We'll drink that water very slowly

- so it lasts. - Yes.

It's all gone!

The rest of you will have to wait for the next delivery.

There's no more water. It's all gone.

- Come on, love. - I'm next.

You're next.

I'm next! I was next!

Please, my daughter's thirsty.

It's ladies first in this country.

You were next, love. I'm sorry.

I'm not jumping the queue.

He's got a bairn as well.

You see his face, though?

- Yeah. - Them marks.

That's him. That's Freckles.

Downing Street, meanwhile, has confirmed

that the Prime Minister will visit

the Red Zone relief camp today

after criticism from the opposition

that the government is abusing its emergency powers.

How many people are travelling

without the requisite authorisation?

Not so many now, but it was difficult at first.

- I understand. Thank you. - Thank you, sir.

What's happening with Ellie?

It's under control.

It's imperative he's not seen to be influencing...

- Anna... - ...at any point, Peter.

You do your job and I'll do mine.

He is my job.

Especially if it looks like his daughter's

just lied to the police with his knowledge.

It's all under control.

Yeah, they were supposed to be here half an hour ago.

Look, where is the water tanker now?

Right, well, put your fucking foot down

because this place will slide into anarchy without water.

Shit.

Sir, sir, come quickly, they're gonna kill him.

- We can't hold them anymore. - What's going on?

They're gonna lynch somebody.

Stop!

Stop!

Stop!

Stop!

Stop! This is murder! Stop!

What the hell is going on here?

He's trying to say something.

It's vitiligo. Listen to me! Listen to me!

Listen, vitiligo, he's got vitiligo!

It's a skin condition, not acid burns!

Listen, now, please, this isn't the guy you think it is, OK?

He's not Freckles! He's not Freckles!

You just let me unfasten him

and I'll let you go, OK?

OK? I promise.

I'm just gonna unfasten him, right?

Come on.

Lay off!

You're behaving like animals!

Please fuck off! Is this what we've come to?

Jarvis, help me get him inside.

The Gold Commander says it isn't safe.

They're still waiting on the water tankers

and they've just narrowly avoided a lynching.

What?

There were a few people who mistook

a dark-skinned Asian man with vitiligo

for a blue-eyed Lithuanian with acid burns.

Is he alright?

A suspected fractured skull, among other things.

They took him into the hospital

and there are still rumours

Freckles is in there, being protected.

Prime Minister, I really think we should get back to the car.

I don't want the press taking pictures of us stranded here.

Hey, are you OK?

Absolute PR catastrophe

if I have to turn around.

It'll be even worse if it starts kicking off at the hospital.

You look like you haven't slept more than two hours

since this whole thing started.

More or less.

I've been popping pills to cope with the lack of sleep.

Well, I'd knock that shit on the head if I were you.

I was pleased to hear you might join Policy.

You were a massive loss to the party.

You still a member?

I left because...

...everything really.

I'm still a bit...

Actually, I'm a bit homeless.

Join the club.

Fraser.

No, no, no, no.

One of your staff just told me about your father.

- Oh, it's not because of that. - You know, I...

Losing a parent is just...

I'm sorry for snapping at you earlier

about the water situation.

You're doing a fantastic job.

Thank you.

I'd better go and hide back in the car.

Have you decided?

On the advice of the security detail

we're heading back to London.

Well, that really won't look good.

Home Secretary

Civil Liberty campaigners

have been expressing concern about the rise in vigilantism.

Of course they have.

Lynching of alleged looters...

- So I just apologised to Fraser. - Listen...

Are you not worried about mob rule?

I am more worried about

dangerous foreign criminals

roaming around attacking young women.

And I have far greater trust

in people's justice

than in the bleatings of the diversity lobby.

But in the current climate...

Particularly in the current climate.

That miserable bastard.

Just the message we want to be putting out.

He knows we're stuck here.

He must be pissing himself laughing

while he stirs the pot.

- Fuck it! - No.

- We're going. - It's not safe.

I don't care. Tell the Gold Commander

to make arrangements for a safe arrival

and to prepare some kind of PA system.

I cannot and will not let that utter charlatan speak for us.

Well, I believe that is not

the right decision at the moment.

Fine, fine.

If anyone is going to get torn to pieces

it might as well be a politician.

Bring him out! Bring him out!

So, while the cat's away...

The cat's right here.

It's the mice that have fucked off.

I heard your interview. People's Justice.

That's not very subtle.

Nor are my supporters.

Opening shots in a leadership challenge?

The advisers are having some interesting chats in the bars.

Did you see Harry Rowntree's threatened

to stop the fuel deliveries?

Obviously, that would be disastrous

and I would suggest stringing him up

from a gibbet on the M1 for treachery.

Yeah. Although it's win-win for you, isn't it?

Ellie's just had her police interview.

She definitely supplied the drugs.

- Of course she did. - And blamed a dead girl

- with her parents' support. - More debatable.

They might try and push the Press Secretary

under the bus.

That might work to our advantage.

If I know Peter Mott, he'll flip rather than take the blame.

It has to be clear

that the PM knew what he was doing and OK'd it.

Letting foreign rapists roam freely.

Failure at a time of national emergency.

Perverting the course of justice.

He's toast.

I'm sorry you had to come through

the kitchen area, sir, but...

It's where they shot Bobby Kennedy, of course.

I didn't know that.

I really recommend you don't go outside

Prime Minister, the mood is very ugly.

Well, that's why I have a security detail, isn't it?

I don't think your security detail fending off an angry mob

is quite the look we're aiming for with this trip.

Can we get some shots on the wards

with the plane crash victims?

Look. I want to see the man who was attacked first.

He's very poorly, sir.

I can take you to the crash victims.

We'll talk to the medics.

I'd like to introduce you to my Silver Commander.

This is Assistant Chief Constable Crawford, sir.

- He's in giddy mode. - I know.

- Don't let him go outside. - You think it's that easy?

Stop muttering, you two.

- I have very good hearing. - When you want to.

You were a war reporter, Anna

for God's sake, show a bit of backbone.

It's your backbone people are concerned about here.

- Bulldog spirit. - Enough of that crap, Robert.

The security team are taking a look outside

and if they say it isn't safe, it isn't safe

and you are not going outside, end of.

Did you just say "end of"?

OK, yeah, but the point stands. I mean it.

They're ready for us on the wards.

Mm-hm.

I wish you all the very, very best for a speedy recovery.

Thank you.

Isabella. She's round here, sir.

Isabella, are you up for visits?

- Yeah. - How are you feeling?

Better.

Better?

And I understand that, er, Chief Constable Collier here

rescued you and your baby from the wreckage.

Yes.

Thank you.

And the doctors tell me you will walk again.

- I think so. - It's a no-go.

- That's good. - Thanks, Mike.

It's a definite no, thank God.

You came this far.

You didn't turn on your heel or anything.

And you think that's how it'll look?

Listen to them outside.

Archie's going over the top soon.

That was just some preliminary shelling.

- Probably. - I should sack him.

Not yet.

The doctors have said you can go

to Kemal Hussain's bedside, sir

but he won't be able to speak.

Oh, God.

Come on. This is still important.

Alright, but no press.

Bring him out! Bring him out!

I'm, er...

I'm so very sorry this happened.

I like your doll.

Does she have a name?

Dolly.

My daughter called her favourite doll John.

We could not talk her out of it.

They hurt my daddy.

Robert...

No, no! Get out of my way! Robert.

It's for your own security.

You have to let these people do their job.

Robert!

Could you pl...

- I know you're angry. - Yes.

And when I'm very, very angry

I become totally oblivious to any other consideration.

- Yes, I do know that, but... - No fucking buts.

We have to show our face at times like this.

Give me the mic.

Give me the mic. Come on.

Give me the mic.

Please!

There are people in that hospital

working around the clock to try and resolve this situation.

Not politicians like me

but people who do a hard job for very little reward

because they believe in public service.

Now, the man inside that hospital

is not the man you think it is.

His name is Kemal Hussain.

He has vitiligo and he is an innocent man.

Now he also has a beautiful daughter

who's just asked me

why is her daddy lying

in a hospital bed with his head smashed in?

Now the people who did that

are not some kind of guardian angels.

They are lawless thugs.

And such crimes will not go unpunished

while I am still Prime Minister.

There is no justice, but the law in this country.

Yeah!

Now, at times like this...

If you're gonna throw things, please

maybe try and aim a little bit better.

At times like this...

it's usual to say, "I feel your pain".

Empathy, right?

All the best politicians are meant to...

to feel it, to show it.

Well, I don't feel your pain.

No, no, no, how can I?

I can only try and do something about it.

Do something. Do something.

Now, I can tell you that the super-transformer

has left Germany

and we are working day and night to try and bring it to you.

And we will bring it to you.

- When? - When?

I promise you that right here and now.

We will bring back power

we will turn the lights on again.

Let this situation bring out the best

in us rather than the worst.

And to those who try to exploit

this situation for their own ends

from the vigilantes

to the charlatans who try to make political capital

out of the suffering of others...

I say this...

there will be a reckoning.

I promise you we will turn the lights on again!

Thank you.

When? That's all we want to know.

When is this going to be over?

Unfortunately, moving and installing

such massive equipment is proving very difficult.

I'm sorry, but we are doing our utmost to bring it to you.

At least you came, showed your face.

Well, thank you very, very much. Thank you very much indeed.

Thank you.

Thanks, everyone. Thank you.

That should feel better.

Great, thank you.

How are you feeling?

Oh, it's... It's nothing

it just grazed the side of my head, really.

How many fingers am I holding up?

Friday.

Ready to go?

I've ordered a helicopter to take you back to London.

Robert, it's not necessary. It's a scratch.

Non-negotiable.

I want you checked out

in a properly functioning hospital.

Is Sam home?

Yeah, but I'm borrowing Madeleine Cook's flat.

She's in her constituency.

See you back in London.

Chief Constable, thank you so much. Thank you.

Take care.

Were you referring to the Home Secretary

or Harry Rowntree out there, Prime Minister?

I was referring to anyone who uses

this crisis for their own selfish ends.

Archie is Archie. Shoots from the hip

straight at his own foot most of the time.

You can't sack him, can you?

I've got bigger things to think of

than cabinet reshuffles today, thank you.

Like your daughter's police interview?

Alright, that'll do, thank you very much everybody.

I think there's enough lynch mobs

running around right now.

Perhaps we should let due process take its course.

Real classy, Jane, well done.

- Good night, Dad. - Chief of Staff...

Anna Marshall has been discharged from hospital

after being hit by a stone, as Robert Sutherland

addressed the crowd at an Emergency Relief Centre.

The large crowd amassed

outside of Royal Northumberland Hospital

following an attack on one of its relief camp's

temporary residents, Kemal Hussain.

The Prime Minister also stopped at the M1 secure checkpoint

where he met members of the Local Resilience Forum

and British soldiers tasked with manning the zonal divide.

Come away with me.

I have a house in the hills outside Mostar.

Erm, I don't know if you've noticed, but...

- There's no internet connection. - Hm.

Only fig trees in the garden where you can sit and...

read books, drink wine.

I have children. I have a job that I love.

I'm not that young girl out of university

chasing wars...

- You are exactly the same to me. - Yeah

because I haven't had the chance to become anything else.

Believe me, within a year

you'd be affectionately thumping my arse

and asking me to warm the milk for your coffee.

How dare you?

I would never ask for milk in my coffee.

I need water, I need water!

Anna?