House of Cards

[Taxloss]

Mrs Taxloss was kind enough to buy all three series of this classic political drama for me a few months ago, and I've watched the first one a few times since then. I'm watching it again tonight. Amazing performances throughout, crowned by Ian Richardson's stellar turn as Francis Urquhart. Wonderful stuff.

But it has sent me into a fit of worry about leadership challenges - both in the Conservative party and in Labour. After all, the Tories will be having one of the pleasingly frequent circuses they call leadership elections soon, and Labour will follow within the next couple of years. We might have a stalking horse in months. People think they know the candidates, and we do know the Rifkinds, Davises, Browns and Straws, but we haven't got a clue about the Osbornes and Hains. A Collingridge or an Urquhart is a scary thought. Party leadership changes are a major weakness in our democracy - the thought of getting a milksop or a bastard into power without an election is chilling.

[tjwmason]

1. It is one of the most stunning series produced.

Part of its attraction is the descent of Urquhart who isn't actually evil at first, but (to borrow a metaphor) embraces the dark-side.

As for not knowing party leadership candidates. Who knew Major? Thatcher? Blair? one might add who knows Hague, or I.D.S. even now - but that might be a tad uncharitable. (Not necessarily drawing direct comparisons between them and Collingridge or Urquhart.) We do seem to have got unknowns into the leaderships recently.

On Edit. I hope that you have thanked Mrs Taxloss adequately.