Tom Makepeace, MP
Tom Makepeace (Paul Freeman) served under Francis Urquhart in the dual role of Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary, then Prime Minister. He and Urqhuart frequently clashed over Europe and various domestic policies.
Following a major dispute with Urqhuart over Urquhart's proposal of a single language for Europe, Makepeace was fired from the Cabinet. He was offered the post of Secretary of State for Education (a traditional 'dumping ground' post) but declined it. Enraged he promptly issued a press statement announcing that he had decided to resign from the Cabinet. He subsequently resigned from the government and sat as an independent MP on the Opposition benches.
Despite being an independent MP, Makepeace announced he would be challenging the Prime Minister for the leadership of the Conservative Party. He failed to win the first ballot but managed to force a second one. Urqhuart was killed before the second ballot thus enabling him to win the election unopposed.
In the book, Makepeace does not challenge Urquhart for the leadership but instead leads a popular movement to undermine the prime minister and his leadership. He is present when Urquhart is shot, but does not win the Premiership after being tainted by his association with Passolides. The Premiership goes to Maxwell Stanbrook, the Environment Secretary.
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Famous quotes containing the word tom:
“The palsy plagues my pulses”
—Unknown. Tom o’ Bedlam’s Song (l. 37)