Tucker takes an unofficial holiday and his old adversary Steve Flemming temporarily take charge as No. 10s Director of Communications and internal enforcer.
Flemming is yet another passive/aggressive bully that still has a grudge to bear after Tucker fired him from the party a few years previously.
Flemming asks Nicola Murray, the Minister for the Department of Social Affairs and Citizenship, if she can publish several years' worth of crime stats as part of a new government initiative.
Tucker, on the other hand, is hosting a peacekeeping dinner party for certain members of the press at his home for no other reason than to kill any rumours that his job is at stake now that Flemming is in temporary charge.
But the biggest bombshell for Nicola Murray is that some of the crime stats should not have been published without being verified first, and that the Department may look as if it "massaged" some of the figures in order to make it look as if the government is tough on crime.
And what makes it worse for Tucker is that he is the blame for the error even though he insists he was on holiday at the time. And that the PM is far from pleased about it and calls for an official internal enquiry.
This is a brilliant episode, not least because this is the pivotal moment for Tucker's gradual demise from his governmental ivory tower.
Peter Capaldi's performance as Tucker, is truly remarkable as we see his character become paranoid about his now vulnerable position within the higher echelons of government, especially given that his rival Steve Flemming has seemingly got his revenge at long last.
David Haig gives an equally compelling performance as the weaselly Flemming, and it is a great pity we don't see more of him in future episodes.
Flemming is yet another passive/aggressive bully that still has a grudge to bear after Tucker fired him from the party a few years previously.
Flemming asks Nicola Murray, the Minister for the Department of Social Affairs and Citizenship, if she can publish several years' worth of crime stats as part of a new government initiative.
Tucker, on the other hand, is hosting a peacekeeping dinner party for certain members of the press at his home for no other reason than to kill any rumours that his job is at stake now that Flemming is in temporary charge.
But the biggest bombshell for Nicola Murray is that some of the crime stats should not have been published without being verified first, and that the Department may look as if it "massaged" some of the figures in order to make it look as if the government is tough on crime.
And what makes it worse for Tucker is that he is the blame for the error even though he insists he was on holiday at the time. And that the PM is far from pleased about it and calls for an official internal enquiry.
This is a brilliant episode, not least because this is the pivotal moment for Tucker's gradual demise from his governmental ivory tower.
Peter Capaldi's performance as Tucker, is truly remarkable as we see his character become paranoid about his now vulnerable position within the higher echelons of government, especially given that his rival Steve Flemming has seemingly got his revenge at long last.
David Haig gives an equally compelling performance as the weaselly Flemming, and it is a great pity we don't see more of him in future episodes.
