Cliff Lawton MP is currently a backbench MP. He previously served as Secretary of State in the Department of Social Affairs and Citizenship back when it was just the Department of Social Affairs. He is a member of the Labour Party.
Series 1[]
Episode 1[]
Cliff arrives at the then Department of Social Affairs and is greeted by Terri Coverley, who informs him of Malcolm Tucker's presence in his office. Currently the centre of a media storm, the Daily Mail is running the headline "Lawton Dangles by a Thread". Despite assuring him his job is secure, Tucker recommends he resign anyway in order to prevent the government from looking weak.
Cliff adamantly refuses, but it is then revealed by Tucker that he has already told the lobby that he is resigning, arranged a farewell at Number 10, and drafted his letter of resignation. At first Lawton suggests sacking Tom Davis at the Department of Transport before grudgingly having a look at the letter. Citing "Personal reasons" to give him adequate scope, Malcom then forces him to make a call to the Daily Mail reporter to suggest that he was "jumping before being pushed" even though the government will be briefed that he was, in fact, pushed.
He is then replaced as Secretary of State for Social Affairs by Hugh Abbot. Soon after, the department is renamed the Department of Social Affairs and Citizenship.
Specials[]
Spinners and Losers[]
When the Prime Minister resigns, Lawton is briefly touted as a replacement by Jamie McDonald. After some discussion with Lawton and some aid from civil servant Robyn Murdoch, Jamie scraps the idea altogether.