The following edition of the text was used in the creation of this study guide: Graham, James. This House. Bloomsbury, 2013.

In Act One, in 1970s Parliament, Labour Whip Michael Cocks stands behind Big Ben’s clockface as MPs in the Members’ Lobby react to rumors of a snap election, surprisingly leaked by Labour’s Deputy Chief Whip Walter Harrison. Government Deputy Chief Whip Jack Weatherill dismisses the rumors and clears his desk with Chief Whip Humphrey Atkins. In the Opposition Whips’ Office, Labour Chief Whip Bob Mellish and Harrison celebrate. Weatherill visits the Labour Whips, and he and Harrison exchange friendly banter. The 1974 election results in a hung parliament and a Labour minority government.

After the election, Atkins packs up as Mellish moves in, predicting Labour won’t last. Junior Labour whips Cocks, Joe Harper, and Ann Taylor (the first female whip) arrive, joking about their new office’s adjustable chairs. Mellish explains that without a majority, Labour must secure support from smaller parties, the “odds and sods.” The Labour Whips negotiate with smaller parties for support. Northern Irish MPs agree to abstain, Scottish MPs offer support in exchange for devolution, and Welsh MPs pledge case-by-case backing. Weatherill fails to sway the Scots or Welsh. Taylor meets the Liberal leader, but no deal is made.

In the Government Whips’ Office, Labour listens to a disturbing recording of Walsall North MP John Stonehouse, who appears mentally unstable. Before a vote, Mellish explains “pairing,” a tradition allowing absent MPs to be matched so their absence doesn’t affect results. Cocks meets with Stonehouse, who speaks unsettlingly about mortality. Labour secures votes by offering MPs favors like committee seats and office chairs. They win by two votes. Another election follows, and Labour returns with a slim majority of three.

Harrison and Weatherill discuss the election results and bet £10 on Labour lasting five years. In the Opposition Whips’ Office, Tories struggle with morale and discuss replacing their leader, Ted Heath, with Margaret Thatcher. Labour’s Alfred Broughton (Batley) expresses his desire to retire due to poor health. Meanwhile, Stonehouse is depicted walking into the sea and disappearing. Harrison updates the blackboard, lowering Labour’s majority to two. In the Opposition office, the Tories are shocked when Thatcher wins the leadership election. In the Government Whips’ Office, Mellish announces the Prime Minister (Harold Wilson) plans to step down. He then receives news that Walsall North MP John Stonehouse has been found alive. At a meeting, Stonehouse is confronted over financial crimes and faking his death. Despite Labour’s desperation, he resigns. Mellish backs a candidate in the leadership race, breaking Whip neutrality. Later, he resigns as Chief Whip for this reason, appointing Cocks instead of Harrison, arguing Harrison is more effective as Deputy. The Whips commit to fighting for every vote. Chaos erupts when Labour is accused of misleading the Tories about vote pairing. A miscommunication led to an unintentional mistake, but the Tories refuse to accept the explanation and permanently withdraw from pairing. Cocks looks to Big Ben, which suddenly stops ticking.

At the start of Act Two, in the Clock Tower, Cocks learns Big Ben is broken indefinitely, seeing it as a symbol of Labour’s struggles. In the Government Whips’ Office, the frail MP for Batley (Doc) moves into Parliament with an oxygen tank due to the Tories refusing vote pairing. A crisis unfolds when the Defence Secretary is stuck in Ireland, but the RAF flies him back just in time. Meanwhile, an MP votes despite recent surgery, and another, Helene Hayman, faces backlash for breastfeeding in Parliament. As the vote nears, Batley collapses but still insists on voting. Labour wins by two votes. In the Opposition Whips’ Office, Weatherill notes that Thatcher (“The Lady”) is frustrated with Labour’s resilience.

Taylor confronts MP Audrey Wise for voting independently rather than along party lines. Meanwhile, Harrison exploits a loophole to win a crucial committee vote by getting stuck in a door, prompting Tory outrage. The Conservatives retaliate by keeping Parliament constantly active to exhaust Labour MPs. Harrison privately asks Weatherill to restore pairing, but he refuses. Later, a Labour MP collapses mid-debate. The Conservatives finally agree to reinstate pairing.

In the Government Whips’ Office, Labour’s majority is now -5. The government loses the devolution vote, prompting the Conservatives to call a no-confidence motion. Labour strikes a coalition deal with the Liberals to survive. In the Clock Tower, the Clockmaker reassures Cocks that Big Ben won’t break again.

The Tories encourage Labour MPs, including Wise, to rebel over the budget. Cocks confronts Wise about her arrest during a protest, but she silently pays her fine in small coins and walks out. As Cocks and Atkins prepare for an all-night session, Cocks argues that simply keeping the Conservatives out of office is worth it even if the government is unable to pass any meaningful legislation. Meanwhile, Harper, having delayed heart surgery, appears unwell. His funeral follows, marking the seventeenth Labour MP to die in office. The Liberal coalition collapses, returning Labour to a fragile minority government.

The Tories call another no-confidence vote. Lady Batley pleads with Harrison not to ask Doc to vote, fearing it will kill him. But Doc offers anyway. Harrison refuses, saying they must draw the line. He asks Weatherill to pair Doc, but since it’s a confidence vote, Weatherill says it would end the career of whoever agreed to do it. When Weatherill offers to pair himself, Harrison declines. Labour loses by one vote. Sound bites announce Thatcher’s victory in 1979. As Weatherill moves back into the Government Whips’ Office, Harrison pays him the money from their bet. The play ends with Cocks gazing out at the city through the clockface.