Chapter 317

"The Prime Minister has been forced to resign as party leader, but will remain as Prime Minister for a period of time until the ruling party re-elects a new party leader and Prime Minister."

Lakeside Villa, Murphy sat in the corner, listening to an analyst speak, "The chairman of the '1922 Committee' of backbenchers has confirmed that the new party leader and Prime Minister candidate will be announced on September 6. Members who want to participate in the party leader competition can be nominated by 20 members by Wednesday this week to become candidates."

"Mr. Patrick wants to become a candidate. Theoretically, we only have three days to prepare."

"But, in fact, we have been preparing for this for two months." The analyst said, "We have at least forty supporters in the House of Commons, which can at least make us enter the second or even third round of competition."

As mentioned before, the British Parliament is a big mud pit. They seem to believe extremely in the way of checks and balances, with the opposition party checking the ruling party, the Parliament checking the Prime Minister, and even within the Conservative Party, there are backbencher groups that can dismiss and re-elect party leaders.

This kind of checks and balances can sometimes play a role in letting more opinions be heard, but most of the time, it only causes a kind of chaos where no one can do anything.

However, at this time, this chaotic system has become Murphy's opportunity.

The Prime Minister left office, and the Conservative Party re-selected the party leader. Patrick, as a member elected this year, just happened to take advantage of this opportunity to win some political prestige.

It is very difficult to become a party leader directly, but even if it is just to become a candidate, it is enough for Patrick to attract enough political capital.

Therefore, almost at the same time Murphy let people control the Prime Minister, he began to arrange for Patrick to win over connections and took over those members who were attracted to his side by the former Prime Minister's strong style.

That's why the analyst said they had been preparing for more than two months and had some supporters.

"Every time he passes a round of elimination, Mr. Patrick's influence will rise by a large margin. If he can enter the last three rounds of voting, the new Prime Minister will inevitably have to take out an important position in the cabinet as an exchange to take away the votes belonging to Mr. Patrick."

"Therefore, our goal is to persist for as many rounds as possible at all costs."

……

After the nomination meeting, Murphy and Patrick came to the lakeside, "It's very difficult to help directly with magic. Every member represents a constituency, everyone is fully exposed, and countless eyes are staring at them. Deviating too much from the past behavioral logic will cause suspicion, and they will be dismissed by the local parliament."

"So we have to take it step by step." Patrick said, "We still have time."

One of the core resources of politics is prestige.

And the process of accumulating prestige is easy to cause backlash if you are too anxious. Therefore, although magic still needs to be used, it must be more hidden and careful, and the whole process must comply with procedures.

It is very difficult for a pure amateur to become Prime Minister directly, but a former minister who has served in the cabinet is very reasonable.

"However, we still have some advantages." Murphy said, "I am prepared to buy a few media outlets to build momentum for you."

Money is Patrick's important advantage.

Umbrella's almost endless money can accumulate prestige for Patrick faster by controlling the media.

It's a pity that in this era, the Internet has just appeared, and mobile Internet is still in the womb. The upper limit of media power is not that high. If it were thirty years later, it would not be impossible to board the Prime Minister's throne directly through Twitter.

……

More than half a month later, Patrick stopped at the fourth round of voting, and the popular candidate for the next Prime Minister, Michael Hurd, promised to leave a position as Secretary of State for Health and Social Care in the cabinet for Patrick.

This result is already very good. However, after the last round ended and Michael became Prime Minister, the cabinet list he announced did not have Patrick.

This kind of backstabbing is not common, because he will directly lose that part of the members who supported Patrick within the party.

There must be some reason behind it.

……

"The new Prime Minister fired me on his first day in office." A day later, the wizard stationed by the Ministry of Magic beside the Muggle Prime Minister—Sidney Dawson—came to report to Murphy, "I think he already knows I am a wizard, and he doesn't want to be influenced by a wizard."

"According to your previous instructions, if after showing him your identity, he doesn't accept the existence of wizards, then control him strongly..." Dawson said, "But, after I used the Imperius Curse, I found that the other party didn't seem to be affected at all. He also let the guards drive me out."

Sidney Dawson had used the Imperius Curse to control the former Prime Minister, and his ability was no problem, but a Muggle could resist the Imperius Curse?

"However, I have already put the thing into the Prime Minister's study according to your instructions."

……

10 Downing Street.

The new Prime Minister Michael Hurd moved to this apartment with his family.

After dinner, Michael walked to the study belonging to the Prime Minister on the third floor.

Locking the door, Michael paced in the study for a few steps, finally stopped, came to the bookshelf, reached out and lifted a covered painting frame.

Pieta.

Michael knelt before the painting, clasped his hands, and prayed devoutly.

After a while, a ray of auspicious light descended, and Michael saw a "miracle."

"Michael, I once promised you protection, to keep you from the harm of demons, and I also once promised you power, to let you sit in your current position. Have I let you get what you want?"

"Virgin Mary, you have given me everything, I will exhaust everything to serve you."

"Umbrella." The hazy and loving voice of the Virgin Mary said, "That is the extension of demons in the world. Destroy it, and you will gain supreme glory."

"Yes, Virgin Mary." Michael knelt down, his face full of piety, "But Umbrella's power is huge, even the former Prime Minister was framed by demons, and even the United States can't do anything about it..."

"Michael, don't fear the enemy. You have countless brothers, countless sisters. They will all give you help, your decrees will be unimpeded, and your will will be thoroughly executed."

"Thank you for your help, Virgin Mary, I will surely complete this great cause for you!"

For a long time, the radiance dissipated. Michael still knelt and prayed for a long time, called out twice more, before picking up the white cloth on the desk and covering the painting again.

Subsequently, he moved the painting to the wall, making it face the wall.

Then, he picked up a phone on the desk and dialed a number, "Kenneth, as my legal advisor, I have some questions about corporate operations that I need to consult you on. If we have already foreseen that a huge group enterprise is going to be split, how can I eat the most valuable piece?"

After a while, Michael finished the call, put the painting back in its original position, and then left the room.

And after he left, a black bird ornament on the bookshelf suddenly moved and disappeared instantly.

……

White Ferret Mountain, Murphy reached out and caught the electric light that appeared suddenly.

He closed his eyes.

All the sounds in that room were converted into electromagnetic signals and stored in the body of the lightning crow in a petrified state, and now they have all been translated by him.

"It really is the statue of the Virgin Mary." Murphy frowned. This guy is really lingering.

Using the American President didn't work, so he took action against believers within the UK...

And relying on the huge number of believers in monotheism, this guy seems to be able to escape at will. Murphy really doesn't know how to deal with it for a while.

However, this Prime Minister seems not to be completely on the same page as the statue of the Virgin Mary.

Murphy smelled a familiar taste on him.

Greed.

While this guy is being used by the Virgin Mary, he also wants to use the Virgin Mary's influence to achieve his own goals. Although they both have a common goal: to destroy Umbrella, the Virgin Mary wants to stop Murphy's progress.

And this Prime Minister wants to eat Umbrella's legacy like a snake swallowing an elephant.

The appetite is very big.

However, this is good.

If the opponent were really a saint with no desires, it would be really difficult for him to take action, but he has too much experience in dealing with such guys.

(End of chapter)