Clark has finally made it into the coveted Ministry of Defence. But his triumph is short-lived when he finds himself once again walking on thin ice with his old rival Tom King. All the while, the political temperature is rising - poll tax riots rage, the Gulf War breaks out, and The Lady's iron grip on the Tory party appears to be slipping fast.

In the grip of a hopeless affair, Clark is lovesick and his relationship with Jane is crumbling under the strain. Convinced that his political career is also on the descent, it’s decision time: to stay or to go?