GLENN: Malcolm, there's a problem
TUCKER: With the investigation?
GLENN: Yes
TUCKER: What?
GLENN: There's more than one Xmas Party
TUCKER: You're not actually INVESTIGATING are you?!
GLENN: You told me to!
TUCKER: I've also told you to stop being a twat. That's never stopped you
TUCKER: Glenn, do you remember what you told me when I asked you to investigate this?
GLENN: That I was at the party.
TUCKER: Aye. And do you know what quality I value you for?
GLENN: Honesty?
TUCKER:
GLENN: Um. Integrity?
TUCKER: You're a fucking coward Glenn. A weasel.
GLENN: That's not very nice.
TUCKER: You're a fucking weasel Glenn. So when I needed a weasel to weasel their way out of admitting there was a fucking party I thought of you Glenn, a weasel who was at the weasel party.
GLENN:
TUCKER: Because you're a weasel
GLENN: Yes, I got that
TUCKER: So can you imagine my surprise Glenn, at discovering that you're suddenly weasel Columbo?
GLENN: Look I'm sorry.
TUCKER: You're running around Number 10, saying 'just one more thing' and twitching your little weasel nose at the fucking A-Listers.
GLENN: Look I didn't mean to alright.
TUCKER: What's that, Weasel Columbo? Squeak up
GLENN: It's been bloody hard okay?
TUCKER: Glenn, all I needed you to do was find a room, at Number 10, where there wasn't a party.
GLENN: That's my point! There wasn't one!
TUCKER: What do you mean?
GLENN: I mean there was a party in EVERY ROOM.
TUCKER: That's impossible
GLENN: Well it's true
TUCKER: What about the basement room with no windows?
GLENN: Accounts party
TUCKER: Second floor one. Smells of fish
GLENN: SPADs
TUCKER: Okay that makes sense
GLENN: I can't prove there wasn't a Xmas party Malcolm. Because they were going on everywhere in here. My report reads like a Noel Edmunds franchise operation
TUCKER:
GLENN:
TUCKER: Aye well okay. You tried you're best
GLENN: Thank you
TUCKER: Just resign and we'll leave it there
GLENN: What?! Why do I have to resign?!
TUCKER: Well you said it yourself. Can't have someone investigating a Christmas Party when they were at it. Sorry alleged party.
GLENN: But you knew that when you appointed me!
TUCKER: Did I though?
GLENN: Yes!!
GLENN: And even if I quit, what about this report?
TUCKER: What report?
GLENN: The one I did about all the Christmas Parties?
TUCKER: Oh THAT. Well that'll need to be redone. Can't trust it now.
GLENN: Why?
TUCKER: Written by someone who was at a party, isn't it? Allegedly.
GLENN: Oh no. You're not getting away with this
TUCKER: What's that squeaky?
GLENN: No. I'm not quitting and you can't make me
TUCKER: You've found a spine?
GLENN: Because... because I KNOW Malcolm
TUCKER: You know what?
GLENN: That YOU were at a party, too.
TUCKER:
GLENN: YOU were at a Christmas Party Malcolm. 3rd floor. Room with all the Thatcher pictures. Cabinet Office Quiz.
TUCKER: Are you threatening me, weasel Columbo?
GLENN: I suppose... I suppose I am
TUCKER:
GLENN:
TUCKER: Get out
GLENN: <runs out>
TUCKER: Fucking weasels.
OLLIE: So there won't be an investigation?
TUCKER: Oh aye. There'll be an investigation. Glenn! You're in charge of the investigation
GLENN: I'm investigating the party?
TUCKER: Alleged party
GLENN: But I was there
TUCKER: Or you weren't
NICOLA: I'm utterly lost now
TUCKER: It's perfectly fucking simple. Glenn here is going to establish whether or not there was a party that he did or didn't attend
GLENN: Which I did
TUCKER: Or didn't
GLENN: But I did
TUCKER: Or did you
GLENN: Well I don't know now
TUCKER: Exactly
OLLIE: What do I do?
TUCKER: Do what you do best. Stand there looking fucking lost and occasionally text the girlfriend you wish you still had. Try to avoid being filmed again, on camera, mentioning a christmas party you went to that didn't happen. You think you can manage that?
NICOLA: Morning all! Ollie, why do you look like a sad puppy?
OLLIE: The Christmas party.
NICOLA: The 'business meeting'?
OLLIE: Um yeah. There's... video.
NICOLA: Shit. Does Malcolm know?
TERRI: It's in the papers.
NICOLA: SHIT
TUCKER <entering>: Ho FUCKING Ho everyone! /1
TUCKER: How are we today? Feeling festive? In the spirit?
NICOLA: Can we skip this bit please Malcolm?
TUCKER: Me? I'm great. I love this time of year, aye. Fucking infinite Wham fan me.
NICOLA: Malcolm I really am busy.
TUCKER: Oh aye? Lot's of meetings with Secret Santas?
NICOLA: It was a business meeting, Malcolm
TUCKER: Oh sure. Fucking business meeting
OLLIE: It's true. You can check in Outlook
GLENN: I said it was a bad idea
OLLIE: Oh fuck off Glenn
TUCKER: Business meeting. So if I ask Terri if there were minutes, she'll say yes?
TERRI: Um...
Kwasi Kwarteng glanced at Twitter. All across his timeline was that video. The one about the Christmas Party.
His phone went. Facebook video. He flicked it on.
It was Boris. He wasn't wearing any trousers. /1
"Chris!" BJ bumbled, flopping around in the wind. "How you bloody doing old chap."
"Feeling great, boss." Kwasi smiled. He'd long ago given up trying to get the Prime Minister to learn his actual name. Hell, maybe he WAS called Chris. Could the Prime Minister be wrong? No. Never
"Need you to do TV in the morning." Boris said, scratched himself and pausing to take in the odor.
"Anyway. Yes. TV. The morning. About the party. Didn't happen."
Out of the corner of his eye, Kwasi could see the video playing on his laptop. On it, Allegra Stratton was laughing