not before Urquhart has achieved his aim of surpassing Margaret Thatcher's record. After this, Urquhart again meets Maria. The incriminating Cyprus report has been sent to Maria's father anonymously – presumably by Corder – and Maria vows to publish it. After this, Urquhart despairs, but Elizabeth consoles him: "We can be safe still!" and hints at a ploy by Corder. At the unveiling of the Margaret Thatcher memorial, on the day when Urquhart surpasses her record, a sniper in Corder's services appears on a rooftop and shoots the prime minister (and Maria's father, who had approached Urquhart with a pistol). Elizabeth had arranged for his assassination as the only way to preserve his reputation (and the retirement fund). Urquhart dies in her arms, while Corder offers his services to Makepeace, the apparent successor. Cast Ian Richardson as Francis Urquhart, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Diane Fletcher as Elizabeth Urquhart Isla Blair as Claire Carlsen MP, Parliamentary Private Secretary Paul Freeman as Tom Makepeace, Deputy Prime Minister, foreign secretary and later backbencher on the opposition side. Nickolas Grace as Geoffrey Booza-Pitt, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and later foreign secretary Nick Brimble as Corder, Urquhart's bodyguard Yolanda Vazquez as Maria Passolides Kevork Malikyan as Nures Julian Fellowes as Sir Henry Ponsonby Miles Richardson as Major Jardine Production The opening scenes containing Margaret Thatcher's funeral proved controversial and generated a great deal of adverse commentary in newspapers, as it was felt to be inappropriate to show the funeral of a real person who was still alive. It also led to Michael Dobbs demanding that his name be removed from the credits. The episode length was reduced from 1 hour to 50 minutes. Novel differences In the novel, but not in the television series: Urquhart does not kill Georgios and Euripides Pasolides in a lone operation but, as an officer, is responsible for their deaths. Urquhart successfully thwarts the attempt to build a statue in honour of Margaret Thatcher. (Its erection is a theme—of political mortality—running through the television series.) Makepeace does not openly challenge Urquhart for the leadership of their party but leads a popular movement against the Prime Minister. Urquhart faces losing a general election and he is urged to resign by his Cabinet Ministers to keep his undefeated record. Mattie Storin's murder is not mentioned and the information is not revealed to Makepeace. Urquhart is not suspected as