A new film titled 'The Man With the Plan', starring Simon Callow as William Beveridge, is set to tour the country. The film addresses issues considered fundamental to the new prime minister's declared mission.
William Beveridge, a Liberal peer, helped establish the foundations of the postwar welfare state. The film suggests his proposals were more radical than commonly believed, and more so than anticipated by Churchill when he commissioned Beveridge's report on social insurance and the national health system after the second world war.
The film was written and directed by Christine Edzard and produced by Olivier Stockman at Sands Films Studio in Rotherhithe, London. It features newcomer Sophie Jenkin as a student named Flea, who encounters Beveridge's 'five giants'. Miriam Margolyes voices 'squalor', and Alan Cox plays the devil. Campaigning standup comedian Mark Thomas and Professor Sir Michael Marmot also participate.
Beveridge's words are spoken verbatim by Simon Callow in the film. Professor Marmot suggests Beveridge's plan is not only possible today but also necessary and vital, emphasising the need to address the 'causes of the causes' and rediscover the public good.