SERIES 31
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 ELECTION
DAY Written by Neil Jones Kathy takes a party of Year 6 pupils to the CLC. One of them, Serena, becomes detached from the group and is drawn to the playground where Lucy and Jenny are squaring up for a fight. Just as the girls get stuck into each other, Togger and Tanya break them up. When Serena eventually finds her way to the CLC, Kathy briefs the group on their task - to report on the forthcoming election for a head boy and head girl. Kathy volunteers Serena as the reporter - a task which fills her with dread when she hears lots of writing is involved. McDonnell announces the nominations on the radio - both Togger and Tanya are up for the job. Lucy and Jenny are far from impressed - and even less so when Togger and Tanya force them to act as their campaign managers in the hope it will teach them to get along. Unaware their conversation is being overheard by Serena, Lucy tells a shocked Rachel she plans to sabotage Togger's campaign, because she knows Jenny would get the blame. They start putting up doctored versions of the posters Jake has designed, with Togger's face covered in zits! Tanya smells a rat when she sees the photo but Jenny protests her innocence, before announcing she has an idea about how to address Togger's poor showing in the polls - she has arranged for Togger and Tanya to take part in a phone-in on Radio Grange Hill. It all goes well for Togger at first, but Lucy starts bribing pupils to phone in with questions. Kathy is concerned that Serena still hasn't written anything but Serena listens intently as Lucy solicits Bryn to make a phone call.Suddenly the phone-in goes sour - Bryn asks Togger about the goat eating the time capsule when he was in Year 8, but Tanya jumps in to deflect him. As the questions continue to probe Togger's murky past, Jake and Jenny beat a hasty retreat from the studio and then Jenny plays them at their own game - getting pupils to phone in with positive questions for Tanya. Kathy cottons on to the bribery and confronts Jenny, taking her into the studio. A delighted Lucy watches Jenny squirm as she protests her innocence to Tanya. Unfortunately ace reporter Serena is right behind them again... All this has failed to improve Tanya's poll ratings, so with the campaign speeches up next, Jake rigs a laptop to work like an autocue for the candidates. Togger realises this could be a lifesaver as he's struggling with his speech, though Tanya fears her sister is up to something again. Sure enough, after Tanya breezes through her speech, Togger ends up spluttering through his when the "autocue" has big gaps between sentences which make him look a laughing stock. McDonnell cuts him off early and voting begins. Once again, Tanya refuses to believe Jenny's insistence she wasn't responsible. Jenny confronts Lucy and hits a raw nerve when she tells Lucy she can't stand the thought of Togger winning because of her own insecurities. However, Togger is grateful to Jenny - he doesn't want to be head boy. Lucy seems genuinely horrified by Jenny's home truths and seeks reassurance from Rachel.Everyone gathers for the results. Tanya is elected head girl with a clear majority; Togger clinches head boy by just one vote. Lucy and Rachel did not vote and realise that if they'd done so there'd have been no need for sabotage. It's now time for Serena's report - Kathy finally snaps after Serena continues to call her Mrs McIlroy. Serena presents a very interesting photo slide show, showing how Lucy and Rachel bribed and cheated every step of the way. At home, Lucy is grounded indefinitely. |