Two by-elections: Gideon's Way (1964) and Clacton (2014)

One of the more interesting episodes of Gideon's Way is The "V" Men, which deals with a right-wing political party - the Victory Party.

As Archive Television Musings, a blog that shares my recent obsession with the series, writes:

Although this was made some fifty years ago it could just as easily been set in 2015. The Victory Party has several aims (which appear to have been designed to alienate as many people as possible) – keep Britain white, kick out the financiers (especially the Jews) and also deal harshly with the pacifists.

In my first post on Gideon's Way I suggested the lead character was something of a liberal.

One reason for that conclusion is this episode and Gideon's obvious dislike or mistrust of an officer who says of the left-wing demonstrators who are confronting the Victory Party:

“I’m sick and tired of these people trying to push everyone around. Why don’t we shove the lot of them into jail?”

That officer is played by Allan Cuthbertson, who you will recognise from dozens of film and television appearances, including gourmet night at Fawlty Towers.

 I also wrote in that post that:

Gideon's family feature regularly. Political trivia fans may like to note that his younger son was played by Giles Watling, who was the unsuccessful Conservative candidate against Ukip's Douglas Carswell in the 2014 Clacton by-election.

You can see the young Giles Watling in the clip above.

As well as being a Conservative councillor in Tendring (he won an open primary to be the party's candidate against Douglas Carswell in the Clacton by-election), Watling is still an actor. He appeared regularly in Bread.