John A. Macdonald: It's Canada! Everything's in the middle of the wilderness!
Plot
In 1992 Labour leader Tony Blair goes to America and is impressed by the policies of President Clinton,which he uses to reshape his party. Two years later he is invited back for an audience with Clinton,who,rightly, predicts that he will be Britain's next Prime Minister.Thus begins the 'special relationship' between the two, though Clinton is clearly the senior partner with Blair seeking his advice on Northern Ireland. The situation in Kosovo however reverses the roles as Blair forces American intervention by a reluctant president and is seen in the American media as the hero of the hour. As Clinton accuses his ally of stabbing him in the back the special relationship starts to sour and,with Clinton ultimately out of the White House,Blair takes his first photo call with the next incumbent,Bush.
Keywords: british-prime-minister
Never underestimate the politics of friendship.
Bill Clinton: This Administration has been born in controversy, national shame and illegality, and it is my bet that that's the way they'll go out.
Jonathan Powell: All political friendship is strategic and conditional.
Tony Blair: You've learned nothing from me, Gordon - absolutely nothing. Because if you had, you would have acquired at least a *hint* of charisma. But then you and charisma have never really been on speaking terms.::Gordon Brown: The public don't want charisma any more - what they want is honesty.::Tony Blair: Instead of which, they get you!
[Tony Blair is reading a newspaper report]::Tony Blair: Oh my God. George is back in rehab.::Cherie Blair: George?::Tony Blair: Bush. George Bush. Oh God, he was found comatose on his ranch.::Cherie Blair: [drily] I'm surprised anyone noticed.::Tony Blair: He's my friend. All right? George is my friend. We went through hell together.::Cherie Blair: Oh, I thought you sent other people to do that.
[Now led by Gordon Brown, Labour have just won a fourth term in office - but with an absurdly small majority. Gordon rings Tony.]::Tony Blair: Gordon, my congratulations.::Gordon Brown: I am heading for a majority of two, for God's sake. Two!::Tony Blair: Well a majority's a majority.::Gordon Brown: It's going to be a bloody disaster.::Tony Blair: It's the historic fourth term, Gordon.::Gordon Brown: You are electoral death!::Tony Blair: I don't think you can blame *me* for what you call your ludicrously small majority.::Gordon Brown: You've held onto power for far too long, Tony.::Tony Blair: Oh really? Well quite frankly if I'd packed it in sooner you'd only have had more time to balls it up, wouldn't you?
[Tony is meeting the publisher of his memoirs who is very critical of the book and recommends a lot of changes to it.]::Publisher: I think the chapters on the Iraq War could be trimmed - the book would benefit and sales would benefit.::Tony Blair: You will not cut a word of those chapters. I did not take this country to war in order to be popular.::Publisher: [drily] Well you certainly succeeded there.::Tony Blair: [pauses for thought] I took this country to war because it was the right thing to do. It was the right thing for Britain and one day history will judge me. And it'll be the liberal journalists, the sneering intellectuals, the appeasers, the bloodless, spineless chattering classes of which you are obviously a member, those will be the ones found wanting, those'll be the ones in the dock of history, not me. Because if I'd listened to all the *moral* cowards, like you, then that murdering bastard Saddam Hussain would still be in power. So cut one word from those memoirs and, so help me, I'll take it away from you.::Publisher: Then you won't mind if it's so laughable and ridiculous and poorly-written that no-one wants to read it.
Cherie Blair: Here's that RCI information I was telling you about.::Tony Blair: RCI?::Cherie Blair: Rite of Christian Initiation.::Tony Blair: But I *am* Christian!::Cherie Blair: No, you're Church of England.
[Discussing Blair's autobiography]::Publisher: You 'feel the hand of God on your shoulder' no less than 29 times!::Tony Blair: Oh yes...::[He laughs]::Tony Blair: ...it was a bit more than that, actually.
[Barrie is reversing into a parking space between two Jaguars outside Downing Street]::Barrie Williams: I hope I don't hit your boss's car. Which one's his?::Tracey Temple: Both.
[after the Christmas party at which the affair between Tracey Temple and John Prescott began]::Tracey Temple: [voiceover] As far as Christmas parties go, the way I see it like this: if you don't regret *any* of it, then you clearly haven't had a good time!
[after making love with John Prescott for the first time]::Tracey Temple: [voiceover] Some people think that sleeping with the boss is a stupid idea, but I like to consider myself more open-minded than most. Sure, it has its risks. But it also has its rewards. The way I see it is like this: if you don't try something new every once in a while, how will you know whether you'll enjoy it?
[Julie Jones has just burst into John Prescott's office and caught Tracey Temple sitting on his lap; now the two women are discussing it in the smoking room]::Julie Jones: What did you think you were doing?::Tracey Temple: He flirts... and I reciprocate. That's all it was.::Julie Jones: Tracey, you were on his lap.::Tracey Temple: He was upset and I wanted to make him feel...::Julie Jones: ...Horny?::Tracey Temple: ...Better. You know what we're like - we're both very tactile people. There's nothing going on between us. I mean, it's Prescott - would you?::Julie Jones: [primly] Physically, I'd find it difficult. But if power and oafish charm were my aphrodisiac...
[John Prescott has invited Tony Blair and Gordon Brown to his flat for a dinner party]::John Prescott: What's the matter, Gordon?::Gordon Brown: Sorry. Would you mind. Could I get another chair.::John Prescott: What's wrong with it?::Gordon Brown: It's too low.::John Prescott: Right, try this one, Gordon.::John Prescott: Tony, are you too high or too low?::Tony Blair: Gordon's always looked down on me - I wouldn't want to change that!
[At John Prescott's dinner party, Gordon Brown has been relentlessly pressing Tony Blair all evening to name the date when he will resign as Prime Minister. They are now at Prescott's front door, about to go home]::Tony Blair: Gordon, why don't you take the first lift. I'll be five minutes.::Gordon Brown: How can I be sure you'll go when you say you will?::Tony Blair: You know something, Gordon, these jokes are just tiring after a while.
James Gordon Brown (born 20 February 1951) is a British Labour Party politician who was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Labour Party from 2007 until 2010. He previously served as Chancellor of the Exchequer in the Labour Government from 1997 to 2007, becoming the longest-serving holder of that office in modern history. Brown has been a Member of Parliament (MP) since 1983, for Dunfermline East until 2005, and currently for Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath.
Brown became Prime Minister on 27 June 2007, after the resignation of Tony Blair and three days after becoming Leader of the governing Labour Party. His tenure ended on 11 May 2010, when he resigned as Prime Minister and Leader of the Labour Party. Brown was one of only three people to serve in the Cabinet continuously from Labour's victory in 1997 until its defeat in 2010, the others being Jack Straw and Alistair Darling.
Brown has a PhD in history from the University of Edinburgh and spent his early career working as a lecturer at a further education college and a television journalist. He has been a Member of Parliament since 1983; first for Dunfermline East and since 2005 for Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath. As Prime Minister, he also held the offices of First Lord of the Treasury and the Minister for the Civil Service.