Successful novelist Roddy Growse orchestrates the appointment of Prentiss McCabe to represent The Real Country Union, a pressure group that has decided to launch itself as a political party.

The group is the brain child of Lord Harcourt who in Charles' judgement is an old imbecile who sits around his extensive Oxfordshire pile, writing letters to The Times about voles.

It is agreed, with Harcourt's blessing, that Roddy should lead the new party. A meeting is arranged for Charles and Martin to meet the Union at Harcourt's estate.

All goes swimmingly well until Harcourt and Roddy decide that Charles and Martin deserve to be given a little extra insight into the organisation which they have agreed to promote.

There follows a revelation that puts Charles' belief that he can spin anything - even the un-spinnable - severely to the test.

Elsewhere there is the brutal junking of radio veteran Sandy 'Rigor' Morters to be addressed and the regeneration, by any means, of Gareth Hunt's career