Francis Urquhart

Francis Urquhart (pronounced "Urcutt") is a fictional Machiavellian Conservative politician created by Michael Dobbs. He appeared in a trilogy of novels, House of Cards, To Play the King and The Final Cut. He was portrayed on television with icy relish by Ian Richardson. During the broadcasting of the first TV series, which is set in the immediate post-Thatcher era, Margaret Thatcher fell from power. In the series Urquhart addressed the audience in asides, often quoting Shakespeare, or gave a knowing look to the camera. He would use the phrase, "You Might Say That, I Couldn't Possibly Comment" as a way of agreeing with people without saying anything incriminating. The term has often been used in the real life Westminster, and in the media, since the BBC airing of House of Cards and its sequels.

Background

Urquhart served for many years as Chief Whip of the Conservative Party. He was believed by most people to be an honest and decent man but the reality was very different: Urquhart was a devious, manipulative man who did everything, including murder and blackmail, to gain power. He was encouraged by his equally immoral wife, Elizabeth.

In the books we learn that Urquhart was a tutor before entering politics, and that he felt pressured by his family to live up to the memory of his older brother, who died in the War. He also commented that his family was originally Scottish, but they moved to England when King James took power — although in the television version of The Final Cut, Urquhart claimed that he was born in the Scottish Highlands. He is fond of Wagner, and is a hunting enthusiast who often sees his killings as "acts of mercy", which is the same way he perceives the murders he commits.

House of Cards

In the first novel, Urquhart was denied the promotion he craved and plotted his revenge against the new Prime Minister Henry Collingridge. Each Government Department has a Junior Whip who reports regularly to the Chief Whip. In addition all delicate secrets and potential scandals are handled by the Chief Whip, who is in charge of party discipline. Urquhart abused his position and inside knowledge to undermine Collingridge and ultimately force him to resign.

He then eliminated his enemies in the resulting leadership contest by means of scandals that he had set up himself or had previously hushed up. These included threatening to publish photographs of an opponent receiving oral sex from a rent boy; causing the Minister of Health to accidentally run over a handicapped man; and revealing that one of his colleagues had previously been linked to the Communist Party of Britain. He thereby reached the brink of victory.

Prior to the final ballot he murdered people who had enabled him to rise to the top, either because he no longer trusted them or because they had become liabilities. His murder victims included Roger O'Neill, who helped to remove the Prime Minister from office; Urquhart invites O'Neill to his country house, gets him drunk, and adds rat poison to his cocaine.

The ending of the novel and TV series differ significantly (indeed the ending of the TV series enabled the author Michael Dobbs to write the sequels). Urquhart formed a close friendship with journalist Mattie Storin - she became his confidante and published articles about the "leadership crisis" (all of which Urquhart had fed to her). However, she untangled his web and confronted him in the (fictitious) roof garden of the Houses of Parliament. In the novel he committed suicide by jumping to his death. However in the TV drama he threw her off the roof, killing her outright. In the TV version Urquhart gained her ultimate trust by having a sexual relationship with her (with his wife's consent). This was oddly paternal; when Urquhart informed her "I'm old enough to be your father" she seemed to be further attracted to him, and decided during the affair to call Urquhart "Daddy" instead of Francis. Soon after, he was driven to Buckingham Palace to become Prime Minister.

To Play the King

The second novel starts with the newly-appointed Prime Minister Urquhart feeling a sense of anti-climax. Having gained great power and influence, he wonders how to use them. His wife comments that he needs "a new challenge". This challenge is shortly provided in the form of the new King (who in the TV series has a voice uncannily like that of the present heir to the throne, Prince Charles). The King has a social conscience and is concerned about Urquhart's harsh policies. He does not directly criticise Urquhart, but makes speeches about the direction he wishes the country to pursue, which contrasts with the government's policies. Urquhart wins the confidence of the King's estranged wife and uses his influences in the press to reveal intimate secrets about the Royal Family. The King is dragged into a general election which Urquhart wins, creating a constitutional crisis and finally forcing the King to abdicate in favour of his teenage son, whom Urquhart expects to manipulate.

Urquhart also removes his former ally and Party Chairman Tim Stamper after he learns that Stamper found, and is finally taking to the police, a tape that Mattie Storin was covertly recording of her final confrontation with Urquhart. He also eliminates his aide Sarah Harding, in whom Stamper had confided. Both perish in car explosions.

With a subordinate Monarchy and his opposition purged, Urquhart has consolidated his power as Prime Minister.

The Final Cut

The last novel in the trilogy portrays an embattled and increasingly unpopular man who is determined to "beat that bloody woman's record" and become a longer-serving Prime Minister than Margaret Thatcher. He is aware that, like all Statesmen, his time in office must come to an end and he is determined to make his mark on the world. He sets about reuniting Cyprus both to secure his legacy and to gain substantial monies from a consequent oil deal. It is clear that his past is catching up with him - a tenacious Cypriot girl and her father are determined to prove that he murdered her uncles while serving as a young officer in Cyprus during the unrest that preceded independence. He also releases his Foreign Secretary Tom Makepeace from the cabinet, leaving Makepeace free to criticise the government and make the incumbent even more unpopular; and surrounds himself with a cabinet of cronies who generally tell him what he wants to hear, so that he becomes even more isolated.

Urquhart died at the unveiling of the Thatcher memorial, having been Prime Minister for 4227 days - one day longer than Thatcher. In the TV series, Urquhart's wife has his security guard kill him to stop a dark secret from his past being revealed. In the book, Urquhart allows himself to be killed by an assassin who is out for revenge, martyring himself in the process - his pushing of his wife out of the way, saving her life, led to his receiving a State funeral and his party being re-elected by a landslide, securing him the legacy he craved.