When the Blair government takes office in 1997, the difficult job of Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, trying to broker peace between sectarian factions, goes to Dr. Marjorie "Mo" Mowlam. With her no nonsense attitude, rough language, and liking for a drunk - not to mention the odd flasher's moment - she is equal to any man and totally committed to her role. However, she has cancer. The chemotherapy causes hair loss and she plays on this to defuse situations with humor. Unfortunately, the cancer will kill her within a few years, but Mo keeps this fact quiet in order to see her Northern Irish task through.