List of House of Cards Trilogy Characters - Tim Stamper, MP

Tim Stamper, MP

Tim Stamper (Colin Jeavons) is initially one of Francis Urquhart's closest friends and aides. In the first series, he is a Junior Whip to Urquhart as Chief Whip, in the second series, he is Chief Whip and later Chairman of the Conservative Party. Stamper did not appear in the House of Cards novel on which the BBC series was based, though the series' author, Michael Dobbs, introduced him in its sequel, To Play the King.

In the first instalment of the House of Cards trilogy, Stamper is an Urquhart loyalist. By To Play the King, however, he is embittered and feels that his loyalty and efforts are unappreciated. As a result, Stamper decides to release a tape incriminating Urquhart in the murder of Mattie Storin and Roger O'Neill to the police. When Urquhart becomes aware of these plans, he has Corder murder Stamper and Sarah Harding, one of his own personal aides to whom Stamper had given a copy of the tape, with car bombs. Stamper appeared to have unfortunate delusions of grandeur; his plan was to force Urqhuart's resignation and replace him as Prime Minister, albeit with a deal of sadness at having to do it. He stated that all he ever wished to do was to serve Urquhart, and it is clear from both House of Cards and parts of To Play the King that he would have been loyal to him until the end. However it is Urquhart's cruel acts of throwing Stamper's loyalty back into his face that drove him to try and ruin his old master.