COBRA

I shall be leaving for the Red Zone after this meeting.

I do think the current climate is unfavourable

for a visit by you, Prime Minister.

Running scared from the current climate

has never done us any favours.

Anna, I can't tell you how relieved I was

to hear you hadn't burned alive in that hotel.

And hubby back safely, too.

You have to say that Georgia provided all the drugs.

No way.

This will all blow over soon, as long as we stick to the script.

You need him to lie to parliament.

That's what gets them in the end.

Have you ever seen a transformer? They're not small, you know.

So, give me the leftie take on Harry Rowntree.

He's a thug and a bully, but he acts entirely on principles.

I have far greater trust in people's justice

than in the bleatings of the diversity lobby.

I really recommend you don't go outside, the mood is very ugly.

There is no justice but the law in this country.

To the charlatans who try to make political capital

out of the suffering of others, I say this.

There will be a reckoning.

I promise you, we will turn the lights on again!

This is Gold Commander. How's your progress, Owen?

Yeah, cos of the situation on the A1, I've had to go up the M6

across the top of the north Pennines.

OK, what's your ETA?

Not long. I've just come off the A69, past Hexham.

Hold on. There's a police checkpoint ahead.

I'm gonna have to pull over.

Hold on. Do you mean an Army checkpoint?

There's no police checkpoints on the A69.

Owen?

Hello, Officer.

With looting a massive problem in the Red Zone

and emergency services overstretched and understaffed,

the original Protection Patrols have merged with other civic groups

under the umbrella term "People's Justice".

And I'm joined now by one of their members.

So, Scott Minett, who are People's Justice?

Just a collection of ordinary citizens,

organising to support our communities,

protect our vulnerable people and stop the looting.

Some people have accused you of being nothing more than vigilantes

with an ugly undercurrent of racism.

Some people? Well, that's obviously how the media in London

- wants people to see things, aye. - How do you see it?

Well, look around you. Nobody cares about us,

unless there's an election on and they're after our votes.

You lot, you call me and my friends and my family racists,

we hardly spend any time at all talking about immigration.

The way youse lot go on,

you'd think it' was the only thing we thought about.

I mean, if you're asking us what I think about what happened

to that bloke who got lynched, I think that was wrong.

Of course I do.

But if we think that our kids should speak English at school, in England,

and we should be able to put our own flags up during the World Cup,

then that doesn't make us racist, does it?

Black people are proud of their culture.

"Black is beautiful," that's what they say.

Now, why should we not say the same about white people?

Why should "white" be an insult?

You people, you talk about diversity and you talk about respect,

but then you apply it to everyone except us.

People who own the media, people who run things in this country,

they wanna make us out to be scum,

even though it was my grandad that built the ships

that made this country great,

and I actually fought for this country.

I'll tell you what it is, right? Family comes first, that's obvious.

Then, after that, it's country, it's culture and community.

And then if I've got anything left after them three,

I'm happy to stick my hand in my pocket.

You don't like that, take a look at 99% of the people in this country,

and that includes the immigrants...

Kids on YouTube are doing the People's Justice salute now.

They've gone national.

No wonder, with the coverage he's getting.

Practically got a dedicated camera team following his every move.

I'll catch you later.

Prime Minister.

We need to talk about the situation with Ellie.

Peter's dealing with it. Along with my wife.

That's one of my concerns.

In the car on the way to the Red Zone...

My head was in a spin about the visits. It'll be fine.

- Robert, it won't... - Stay in your lane, Anna.

Stay in my...

Fraser.

Another fuel tanker has been hijacked in the Red Zone.

Only this time they pistol whipped the driver

and he suffered a cardiac arrest.

Owen Harding, popular figure, has a couple of kids.

He's in intensive care.

Arrange for someone to speak to his wife,

make sure she has everything she needs.

The Lorry Drivers' Union are under pressure from some of their members

to call a national stoppage in protest at the latest attack.

Needless to say, a fuel delivery stoppage, even for 24 hours,

would cripple us completely.

So, we bring in the Army, confiscate their assets...

I'll be speaking to Mr Rowntree this morning.

Moving on, I understand Protection Patrols

are now calling themselves People's Justice.

Snappy name.

And they have a new poster boy, de facto leader.

I assume some background checks have taken place?

Scott Arthur Minett.

Former soldier who served honourably in Afghanistan,

now leading The People's Justice in the Red Zone.

He and his men have already seized valuable fuel reserves

from various locations.

He's well-respected in the community.

Big family ties,

with four children from different previous relationships,

to whom he is apparently devoted.

Two of his daughters are mixed-race, by the way.

Fraser? What about the Red Zone transformer?

First we needed to check that it wasn't damaged at sea.

It's in Tilbury Docks. My staff are down there now.

But it will be moving soon?

- Yes. - Good.

OK. I have to leave. Julia, you can take us through the rest.

It is customary for the Home Secretary...

We left the realm of the customary some time ago, Archie.

- Robert! - Give me a sec.

Will I have to start asking people to get you to pass me the salt?

You tried to ruin our trip to the Red Zone with that interview.

Have you seen our approval ratings in this morning's YouGov?

- "Our" as in the party? - No. As in you and me.

You're riding a tiger here, Archie. We both know how that one ends.

I am the fucking tiger, Robert.

You may be able to force me out,

but can you get yourself in?

The party won't have you.

- She give you that line, did she? - Oh, who, Anna?

No, no, she's your biggest fan.

Sadly, it's not reciprocated.

And I look forward to the day

Dominic Knight takes his rightful place in the policy unit again.

That's the day I no longer have any say on the matter.

You know, one of the things I'd miss about not having the top job

is trips to foreign museums with no crowds.

Last time I was in Madrid, they took me round the Prado.

Anyway, one painting in there particularly caught my eye.

By Goya.

Two men in the mud beating each other to death with clubs.

- I'll have to Google it. - You do that.

I won't sack you, if that's what you're looking for.

I won't resign.

_

Hey, Fraser, it's Steph.

Yeah. It's all going fine.

We're gonna be on the road shortly,

so I'll give you a ring when we get off the M25.

OK, bye.

...major incident has been declared.

The arrival of a super-transformer from Germany has raised hopes

that the power crisis that has brought misery to Northumberland

might be nearing an end.

Today, the Prime Minister, Robert Sutherland,

restated his promise to turn the lights back on,

while warning the process of moving and installing the transformer

might still take some time.

Critics argue that it is too little, too late.

And the opposition has repeated its call for him to resign.

- He saw her serve it. - Big deal.

Racking out a line of coke doesn't mean you supplied it.

Bad optics.

I don't care about the optics.

Oh, I was fearing this piece, but nothing in this article

means she bought and supplied the drugs.

- The police will talk to her again. - Yeah, of course they will.

Ellie's not coping well.

I know. But we will get her through this, if we just hold the line.

- I... - Thank you, Peter.

I know you understand what's at stake here.

- Francine. - Prime Minister.

My mole in the union tells me they're going to use this

to demand a review of the pay floor. Off the record, obviously.

You think I should give it to them?

Yes, because it's actually the right thing to do.

Oh, well. Hire lefties, get lefties, I suppose.

But no, if you want him to back off.

Ultimately, he wants your head on a pike.

Well, I must be doing something right, then.

So, let's hear what Comrade Rowntree has to say.

Can you show them in?

Prime Minister.

Disappointed to see you with this lot, Francine.

In fairness, this lot don't throw bricks at my office window.

Yet.

I didn't approve of the way you were handled by your constituency.

- Thank you. - But working for them...

...it's like crossing a picket line.

But is it as bad as denying essential food and supplies

to suffering people at a time of national emergency

just to be Billy Big Bollocks?