Andrew Lawrence
Date of Birth: Unknown
First episode: Series 8, Episode 7 Last episode: Series 8, Episode 8 Job: Home Secretary Status: Deceased (explosion) Portrayed by: Tobias Menzies The Rt Hon Andrew Lawrence MP, was the Home Secretary succeeding Nicholas Blake who was forced to step down after a political scandal which later turned out to be act by the Nightingale Group. Lawrence is a young Minister who is appointed as the new Home Secretary in series 8, episode 7 after his predecessor's resignation. Harry Pearce goes to meet Lawrence soon after his appointment to discuss the worsening relations between British Muslims and Hindus and that a Hindu organization is planning an attack on a Muslim area, Lawrence promises Harry his full support saying that Harry was recommended by Blake. Both agree that Blake was not corrupt and had been set up. |
He appears later on in the episode after he refuses to send CO19, the police armed response squad to one of two locations being attacked by the Hindu organization, instead choosing to send CO19 to the second location, a small house rather than the first location, a heavily-populated Muslim girls' college.
Lawrence argues to Harry that sending CO19 to the college could result in accidental deaths of hostages and instead prefers to negotiate, which leads Harry to suspect his motives. Both he and Ros Myers suspect that Lawrence is a Nightingale operative due to the loss of their former Home Secretary, timing of his appointment and his earlier decision.
During the last episode of series 8, Ros at first concedes to Harry's bias towards Lawrence though Ruth challenges this. Meeting with him without Harry, Ros learns that he is quite human and more relaxed without the older man present. In this episode it becomes clear that Lawrence is not a traitor and the series ends with him dying in an explosion. It is assumed Lawrence, paralysed by a saboteur, dies with Ros as she unsuccessfully attempts to drag him through the London hotel which blows up in a Nightingale bomb plot.
Series 9, episode 1 confirms that both Lawrence and Ros died in the bombing with Lawrence being succeeded as Home Secretary by an unseen interim person until the election that brings the coalition into power, and with it William Towers as the new Home Secretary.
Lawrence argues to Harry that sending CO19 to the college could result in accidental deaths of hostages and instead prefers to negotiate, which leads Harry to suspect his motives. Both he and Ros Myers suspect that Lawrence is a Nightingale operative due to the loss of their former Home Secretary, timing of his appointment and his earlier decision.
During the last episode of series 8, Ros at first concedes to Harry's bias towards Lawrence though Ruth challenges this. Meeting with him without Harry, Ros learns that he is quite human and more relaxed without the older man present. In this episode it becomes clear that Lawrence is not a traitor and the series ends with him dying in an explosion. It is assumed Lawrence, paralysed by a saboteur, dies with Ros as she unsuccessfully attempts to drag him through the London hotel which blows up in a Nightingale bomb plot.
Series 9, episode 1 confirms that both Lawrence and Ros died in the bombing with Lawrence being succeeded as Home Secretary by an unseen interim person until the election that brings the coalition into power, and with it William Towers as the new Home Secretary.