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, he must decide whether to stay or to go.

Revelations of Clark's affairs with the Harknesses have hit the tabloid headlines and the media are in a frenzy. Clark yearns to return to the cut and thrust of Parliament, but with his political reputation and health in steady decline, can he realise his dream?