
Logline: An adopted, black and privileged politician wins a referendum to abolish the Monarchy and in the chaotic fall out acquires power, using it to rewrite the UK’s Constitution.
Format: A three part political drama for TV.
Theme: This is a sideways look at Brexit and the causes of Brexit – focusing on the inequality and privilege that brought us to where we are now. It’s a state of the nation piece about power and who should hold it, and questions who we are, what we are doing and why we are doing it.
Protagonist: JUSTIN HERBERT, 40’s, is a privileged black man who was given it all by his white, aristocratic, and adoptive parents – Eton, Oxford, any career he chose. But it was not all roses – ostracised at school, ridiculed at university, passed over professionally, he never felt at home in this privileged world – he was black. He joined the Lib Dems to fight the inequality, privilege and discrimination that he so despises, and rose to the top, calling for a referendum on the Monarchy to destroy the symbol of that privilege. Of course, it’s only his entitlement that allows him to do this, and he’s blind to the fact that he’s acting out his own identity crisis on upon the nation.
World / Set-up: In the 2015 General Election Justin Herbert, leader of the Liberal Democrats, hit a popular note with his equality campaign. In the ensuing hung Parliament he went into coalition government with the Conservatives after they agreed to a Royal Referendum if the Queen died.
Episode One: On the eve of the referendum result, Deputy PM Justin Herbert visits his parents to continue the discussion about his birth parents, though he actually wants their approval for his referendum. They call a truce though differences remain. The next day the result is declared. The UK has voted to become a Republic! Justin pushes PM ANNE HOWARD to act, but KING CHARLES III won’t leave Buckingham Palace and – after a demonstrator’s death and the military refuse to remove Charles – she resigns. As acting PM Justin tries to push through his constitutional reforms, but is betrayed by his Tory allies and parents. With a new Tory PM who would install (Prince) William as King, Justin withdraws from the coalition government, effectively ending it. He negotiates with Labour to form a new coalition, but, hours before the confirmatory vote realises that his
constitutional reforms are in danger so pulls out, forcing the country to go to the polls.
Episode Two: This is a flashback episode that covers the referendum campaign. The Queen is dead. Justin, with his allies KRISHNA GILL and ADAM BATES, builds a successful, insurgent Republican campaign. Their unexpected success prompts a knee-jerk reaction from the establishment who launch personal attacks on Justin. In response, Justin decides to go low, using lies, dodgy promises, data-mining, black money and more to recapture the narrative. In short, he sells his principles down the road for the referendum victory, using all the advantages his privilege has given him.
Episode Three: Back in the present, Justin has won the most seats in the General Election and becomes PM. Bates demands Justin launch the presidential election and back him as the Republican candidate. But with his family not speaking to him, his constitutional reform bill in tatters, and Bate’s campaign degenerating into demagoguery, Justin does a volte-face and persuades (ex Prince) William to run for President. After William’s victory, Justin realises that his constitutional reforms are so wide ranging that he can’t impose his vision on the country. Instead he invites President William Windsor, the party leaders and the wider public to take part in a binding citizen’s assembly that will design the new, written Constitution of the Republic of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.