Percy Pigs and designer suits: Netflix’s Anatomy of a Scandal is a far cry from the reality of Westminster

Political nerds beware, you will undoubtedly find yourself wincing at the highly stylised world presented, writes Salma Shah

Of course, I will be binge watching the entire series this weekend despite its flaws (Reuters)

For anyone that’s worked in parliament or indeed more widely in Westminster, Anatomy of a Scandal is a must-watch political thriller. There’s nothing more fascinating to the residents of the political village than watching polished versions of themselves on screen, trying to work out exactly how they might have influenced the depictions in the script.

But political nerds beware, you will find yourself wincing at the highly stylised world presented. If you have no knowledge of the inner workings, you will probably remain largely unperturbed by the glaring inaccuracies, but for those of us unfortunate enough to have borne witness to the inside of the parliamentary buildings, you will experience a discomfort not felt since Mel Gibson had a crack at Scottish history in a movie.

Let’s start with the characters. Sienna Miller is too impossibly beautiful. In fact, the whole main family looks like the product of a Boden’s marketing focus group. How can that be so when politics is known as showbiz for ugly people? The beauty of the cast is complemented by their beautiful wardrobes, the likes of which have rarely been seen on an MP. Bespoke designer suits, outfits curated by stylists – in reality, there’s hardly ever been anything so sartorially pleasing in Westminster, as real politicians have a knack for dressing in a way no one wishes to replicate.

The main protagonist is a junior immigration minister but inexplicably lives in an immaculate house. Not just expensive looking, but Architectural Digest levels of wow. Was this guy an early investor in Facebook or something? The freshly cut, perfectly curated flowers are a sure sign of vast riches which seem out of reach of the modern MP. Yes, sure, there are some wealthy people on the green benches, but a smart house in well-heeled Belgravia would require a hefty bank balance when starting prices are around £4m for a little bijoux pied a terre, let alone this mega-mansion.

And the understanding of Whitehall is woeful. Most hilariously, there is an unbelievable scene where the prime minister turns up at the main character’s ministerial office, unannounced. That’s never happened. And certainly not in the case of a junior minister involved in a scandal. The PM just doesn’t have time to pop into people’s offices on a little jaunt around Whitehall. The security at the Home Office building would be an absolute tizz if it had actually happened.

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Not to mention the response to the minister’s request to amend his “immigration bill” – “amend away” says the PM in an intensely relaxed fashion. Doesn’t he want to hear what the amendment is? A voucher worth £1,000 for every tier 1 migrant? Perhaps, a tug of war between seasonal agricultural workers, where winners get an extension on their visas? Governments live or die on their immigration policies, they don’t just “amend away”.

What’s more, everything looks far too organised. In the same scene, the PM requests something sweet and he’s offered Percy Pigs, from a sweet jar. Who went to the trouble to buy a load of Percy Pigs and store them neatly in a sweetie jar? The civil service has to buy their own milk for a brew, so where has this perfectly presented stash of Percy Pigs come from? The permanent secretary has some serious questions to answer.

Of course, I will be binge watching the entire series this weekend despite its flaws. I have not mistaken it for a documentary. It’s a beautifully stylish version of British politics that has taken a great deal of dramatic licence.

Even if you’re just going to hate-watch for the inaccuracies, the show has made an attempt at understanding the nexus between privilege, politics and consent. It’s worth pointing out, however, that the reality of politics is very far from the polished poise depicted on this show.