Yes, Minister / Yes, Prime Minister
Yes, Minister (Series One DVD cover)
Genre	Comedy
Running time	30 minutes
Creator(s)	Antony Jay Jonathan Lynn
Starring	Paul Eddington Nigel Hawthorne Derek Fowlds
Country of origin	UK
Original network/channel	BBC Two
Original run	1980 – 1988

Yes, Minister, and its sequel, Yes, Prime Minister, are British sitcoms that were transmitted by the BBC between 1980 and 1988. They were set in the private office of a government cabinet minister and 10 Downing Street respectively. All 38 episodes were written by Antony Jay and Jonathan Lynn and all but one last half an hour. Image File history File links Yes-Minister-DVD-1. ... Comedy is the use of humor in the form of theater, where it simply referred to a play with a happy ending, in contrast to a tragedy. ... Sir Antony Rupert Jay CVO (born 20 April 1930) was the co-author, with Jonathan Lynn of the successful British political comedies, Yes, Minister and Yes, Prime Minister (1980-88). ... Jonathan Lynn (born April 3, 1943), is a British actor and comedy writer. ... Paul Eddington playing Jim Hacker in Yes, Prime Minister. ... Sir Nigel Hawthorne, KBE (5 April 1929 – 26 December 2001) was a renowned English actor. ... Derek Fowlds as Bernard in Yes, Prime Minister Derek Fowlds (born 2 September 1937 in Balham, London) is a British actor. ... BBC Two (or BBC2 as it was formerly styled) was the second UK television station to be aired by the BBC and Europes first television channel to broadcast regularly in colour (from 1967), envisaged as a home for less mainstream and more ambitious programming. ... 1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday. ... 1988 (MCMLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... A British sitcom is a situation comedy (sitcom) produced in the United Kingdom. ... The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is the largest broadcasting corporation in the world. ... 1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday. ... 1988 (MCMLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 10 Downing Street, commonly known as Number 10, is arguably the most famous street address in London. ... Sir Antony Rupert Jay CVO (born 20 April 1930) was the co-author, with Jonathan Lynn of the successful British political comedies, Yes, Minister and Yes, Prime Minister (1980-88). ... Jonathan Lynn (born April 3, 1943), is a British actor and comedy writer. ...

Plot

The dominant running theme is the struggle between (The Rt Hon.) James "Jim" Hacker (played by Paul Eddington), the newly-appointed Minister in the (fictional) Department of Administrative Affairs, and his civil servants and ministerial colleagues. Sir Nigel Hawthorne played Sir Humphrey Appleby, KCB, MVO, MA (Oxon), a senior civil servant, Permanent Secretary of the Department of Administrative Affairs, with Derek Fowlds as Hacker's Principal Private Secretary, Bernard Woolley. Woolley typically finds himself torn by his personal allegiance to Hacker, and his institutional duty to the department and to Sir Humphrey, his real boss. The Right Honourable (abbreviated The Rt. ... Jim Hacker, Prime Minister James Jim Hacker is one of the three main characters of the 1980s British sitcom Yes, Minister and its sequel Yes, Prime Minister. ... Paul Eddington playing Jim Hacker in Yes, Prime Minister. ... A minister or a secretary is a politician who heads a government ministry or department (e. ... Sir Nigel Hawthorne, KBE (5 April 1929 – 26 December 2001) was a renowned English actor. ... Sir Humphrey Appleby, on the left, giving directions to the Minister as usual Sir Humphrey Appleby is one of the three main characters of the 1980s British sitcom Yes, Minister and its sequel Yes, Prime Minister. ... Military Badge of the Order of the Bath The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. ... Victoria founded the Royal Victorian Order. ... The degree of Master of Arts degree is an undergraduate degree awarded by the universities of Oxford and Cambridge as well as by the University of Dublin. ... The University of Oxford, located in the city of Oxford, England, is the oldest university in the English-speaking world. ... In the United Kingdom, the non-political civil service head of a government department, as distinct from the political Secretary of State to whom he or she reports. ... Derek Fowlds as Bernard in Yes, Prime Minister Derek Fowlds (born 2 September 1937 in Balham, London) is a British actor. ... In the British Civil Service the Principal Private Secretary is the Civil Servant who runs a ministers private office. ... Bernard Woolley in Yes, Prime Minister Bernard Woolley (born September 2, 1937) is one of the three main characters of the 1980s British sitcom Yes, Minister and its sequel Yes, Prime Minister. ...

The overriding goal in any politician's professional life is re-election. In order to achieve this, they must be seen to act in order to stand out in the mind of the voters as effective people. Civil servants, on the other hand, such as Sir Humphrey, enjoy a substantial income and great power before retiring at a fixed age with a large index-linked pension. Any change would threaten the civil servants' easy life. This results in conflict between politicians and civil servants. For example, Sir Humphrey often mentions that a civil servant's success can be measured by the number of people who work for him: he will, therefore, try to block any change that will reduce the size of the civil service, or the complexity of its bureaucracy. Hacker, who knows that to do so would be a vote-winner, is desperate to do just that - or to at least look as if he has. This article should be split into multiple articles accessible from a disambiguation page. ...

Sir Humphrey Appleby, Bernard Woolley and Jim Hacker in the Minister's Office at the Department of Administrative Affairs

The first series featured Frank Weisel (pron. W-"eye"-sel), played by Neil Fitzwiliam (Sir Humphrey persistently calls him "Mr. Weasel"), Hacker's political adviser. Weisel does not appear in subsequent episodes following his convenient acceptance of a position on a quango (Quasi-Autonomous Non-Governmental Organisation) investigating the appointment of other quangos at the end of the first series. Following Sir Humphrey's promotion to Cabinet Secretary, Hacker becomes Prime Minister and appoints Bernard Woolley as his Principal Private Secretary in his new post. The first series of Yes, Prime Minister introduced Dorothy Wainwright (played by Deborah Norton) as a highly able Special Political Adviser to the Prime Minister, wise to many civil service tricks, which ensures a lasting mutual distrust between her and Sir Humphrey. Image File history File links The main figures of the ficticious Department of Administrative Affairs in the British sitcom Yes, Minister. ... Image File history File links The main figures of the ficticious Department of Administrative Affairs in the British sitcom Yes, Minister. ... Neil Fitzwiliam was an English actor, making several appearances in theatre, film and television productions. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Executive Agency. ... In the British Government, the Cabinet Secretary, or more formally Secretary of the Cabinet, is the senior civil servant in charge of the Cabinet Office, a department that provides administrative support to the Prime Minister, the Cabinet, and the government as a whole. ... The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the head of government and so exercises many of the executive functions nominally vested in the Sovereign, who is head of state. ...

Hacker's home life is shown occasionally throughout the series. His wife, Annie (Diana Hoddinott), is clearly frustrated by the disruptions caused by her husband's political career and somewhat cynical about her husband's politics. Meanwhile, his sociology student daughter, Lucy (Gerry Cowper), becomes an environmental activist in one episode (her only on-screen appearance, despite several other mentions), campaigning against one of her father's department's policies. Diana Hoddinott appeared as Annie Hacker, the wife of Jim Hacker, in Yes, Minister and Yes, Prime Minister. Categories: | | ... hi hi hi hi hi hi hi hi hi hi hi hi hi ...

Much of the show's humour thus derives from the antagonism between Cabinet ministers (who believe they are in charge) and the members of the British Civil Service who are really running the country. A typical episode deals with Jim Hacker wanting to act on a pressing political issue, only to find Sir Humphrey blocking and stalling his efforts in order to maintain the status quo. More often than not, Sir Humphrey prevents Hacker from achieving anything, but often lets him think that he has scored a political victory, sometimes helping Hacker to garner positive publicity. However, Hacker occasionally gains the upper hand — as in "The Greasy Pole" (one of the few times when, of the two of them, Sir Humphrey is clearly the one with right on his side). In the Politics of the United Kingdom, the Cabinet is a formal body comprised of government officials chosen by the Prime Minister. ... The British civil service is the permanent bureaucracy that supports the Government Ministers responsible to the Sovereign and Parliament in administering the United Kingdom. ... Motto: Dieu et mon droit (Royal motto; French for God and my right) 3 Anthem: God Save the Queen4 Capital London Most populous conurbation London Official language(s) English de facto 5 Government  â€¢ Queen  â€¢ Prime Minister Constitutional monarchy HM Queen Elizabeth II The Rt Hon Tony Blair MP Establishment January...

Sir Humphrey's personal characteristics include his complicated sentences, his cynical views on government, and his general toffiness. Hacker's features include occasional indecisiveness, and a tendency to launch into ludicrous Churchillian speeches. Bernard is apt to linguistic pedantry. Sir Humphrey often discusses matters with other Permanent Secretaries, who appear similarly sardonic and jaded, and the Cabinet Secretary (whom he will eventually succeed in Yes, Prime Minister), Sir Arnold Robinson — played by John Nettleton — an archetype of cynicism, haughtiness and conspiratorial expertise. This fairly counter-intuitive view of government administration is not only Humphrey's; it is completely taken for granted by the civil service. Logorrhoea (US/Canadian logorrhea) (Greek λογορροια, logorrhoia, word-flux) is defined as an excessive flow of words and, when used medically, refers to incoherent talkativeness that occurs in certain kinds of mental illness, such as mania. ... Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, KG, OM, CH, TD, FRS, PC (30 November 1874 – 24 January 1965) was a British politician and author, best known as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. ... John Nettleton (born 5 February 1929 in London) is a British actor. ...

The Yes, Prime Minister episode "The Bishop's Gambit" parodied liberal theology and politics in the Anglican church. Hacker naturally thought that the church was a Christian institution, but Sir Humphrey gleefully informed him that most of the bishops do not believe in God, and that a theologian's job is partly to explain why an agnostic or atheist can be a church leader. Liberal theology is a branch of religious thinking which emerged in the late 18th and early 19th century, in the wake of The Enlightenment. ... The Church of England is the officially established Christian church[1] in England, and acts as the mother and senior branch of the worldwide Anglican Communion, as well as a founding member of the Porvoo Communion. ... A bishop is an ordained member of the Christian clergy who, in certain Christian churches, holds a position of authority. ... Michelangelos depiction of God in the painting Creation of the Sun and Moon in the Sistine Chapel Krishna, the eighth incarnation of Vishnu, one of the manifestations of the ultimate reality or God in Hinduism This article discusses the term God in the context of monotheism and henotheism. ... Theology is literally rational discourse concerning God (Greek θεος, theos, God, + λογος, logos, rational discourse). By extension, it also refers to the study of other religious topics. ... The term agnosticism and the related agnostic were coined by Thomas Henry Huxley in 1869. ... For information about the band, see Atheist (band). ...

Almost all the episodes end with one of the characters (usually Sir Humphrey) saying "Yes, Minister" or "Yes, Prime Minister" accordingly. Each episode of the former series was more or less self-contained, but the latter exhibited what could be loosely described as a "story arc". This article or section needs to be wikified. ...

Critical reception

Yes Minister won the BAFTA award for Best Comedy Series for 1980, 1981 and 1982, and the Party Games special was nominated in the Best Light Entertainment Programme category for 1984. Yes Prime Minister was shortlisted for Best Comedy Series for both 1986 and 1987. The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA), is a British organization that hosts annual awards shows for film, television, childrens film and television, and interactive media. ... 1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday. ... 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1982 (MCMLXXXII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1986 (MCMLXXXVI) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1987 (MCMLXXXVII) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Nigel Hawthorne's portrayal of Sir Humphrey Appleby won the BAFTA Award for Best Light Entertainment Performance four times: in the awards for 1981, 1982, 1986 and 1987. Eddington was also nominated on all four occasions.

Yes, Minister came sixth in a 2004 BBC poll to find 'Britain's Best Sitcom'. In a list of the 100 Greatest British Television Programmes drawn up by the British Film Institute in 2000, voted by industry professionals, Yes, Minister and Yes, Prime Minister were jointly placed ninth. 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is the largest broadcasting corporation in the world. ... Britains Best Sitcom is the name of a poll conducted in 2003 and 2004 by the BBC. Criticism was levelled at the BBC after it was revealed that the top ten programmes were all their own productions and that only one place lower at number 11 was the highest... 100 Greatest British Television Programmes was a list compiled in 2000 by the British Film Institute (BFI) chosen by a poll of industry professionals, to determine what were the greatest British television programmes of any genre ever to have been screened. ... The British Film Institute (BFI) is a charitable organisation established by Royal Charter to encourage the development of the arts of film, television and the moving image throughout the United Kingdom, to promote their use as a record of contemporary life and manners, to promote education about film, television and... This article is about the year 2000. ...

The series have been cited by political scientists for their accurate and sophisticated portrayal of the relationships between civil servants and politicians. The shows were very popular in government circles, and they were the favourite programme of then Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher. Thatcher wrote a four-minute sketch which she performed with the show's two principal actors (with their reluctant acquiescence). Another ten-minute sketch was performed as part of a Christmas Special in 1982. Thatcher read the show as an indictment of the civil service, while others see it as an indictment of the British parliamentary system. Many agree that it is a combination of both. Political science is an academic and research discipline that deals with the theory and practice of politics and the description and analysis of political systems and political behavior. ... Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, LG, OM, PC, FRS (born 13 October 1925) was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990. ... 1982 (MCMLXXXII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Background

Yes, Minister (Series Two DVD cover)

The writers placed Hacker at the centre of the political spectrum, and were careful to identify his party headquarters as "Central House" (a portmanteau of Conservative Central Office and Labour's Transport House). The terms 'Labour' and 'Conservative' are thoroughly avoided throughout the series, favouring terms such as "the party" and "the opposition". The series clearly intended to satirise politics and government in general, rather than any specific party. The one exception to this rule occurs very briefly in the penultimate episode, regarding education policy. Image File history File links Yes-Minister-DVD-2. ... Image File history File links Yes-Minister-DVD-2. ... It has been suggested that blend (linguistics) be merged into this article or section. ...

Despite this, the overall thrust of the early episodes was in a libertarian direction: casting government reduction in a more favourable light than government expansion. The episode "Jobs for the Boys" clearly rejected the tripartite form of corporatism that Mrs Thatcher's government was determined to pursue. Jay was personally sympathetic to the economically liberal elements of Thatcherism, and served as a part-time speech writer to Nigel Lawson. Lynn was, even initially, less sympathetic to Thatcher and as the decade progressed Thatcher's personality came to eclipse the policy agenda. This partnership produced episodes such as "Man Overboard", which satirised the Westland affair. See also Libertarianism and Libertarian Party Libertarian,is a term for person who has made a conscious and principled commitment, evidenced by a statement or Pledge, to forswear violating others rights and usually living in voluntary communities: thus in law no longer subject to government supervision. ... Historically, corporatism or corporativism (Italian corporativismo) is a political system in which legislative power is given to civic assemblies that represent economic, industrial, agrarian, and professional groups. ... Nigel Lawson, Baron Lawson of Blaby, PC (born March 11, 1932), a British politician, was Chancellor of the Exchequer between June 1983 and October 1989. ... The Westland affair was a political crisis for the Conservative government of Margaret Thatcher in 1986. ...

In Trollopian style, certain minor characters in the series were apparently drawn from identifiable real-world originals. The acerbic nationalised industry chairman, Sir Wally McFarland, was an affectionate caricature of Sir Monty Finniston (of British Steel); the Prime Minister's special advisor in Yes, Minister, Sir Mark Spencer, was a reference to Derek Rayner who joined the first Thatcher Government from the chain store group Marks & Spencer; and the journalists John Pilgrim and Alex Andrews were evident references to John Pilger and Andrew Alexander. Billy Fraser, a tough uncompromising Scottish trade unionist, was based on Jamie Morris, who had led the strike at Westminster Hospital during the Winter of Discontent. By contrast, Hacker's Prime Ministerial special advisor, Dorothy Wainwright, predated the arrival of Sarah Hogg (who bore her some resemblance) as John Major's advisor some years later. Anthony Trollope (April 24, 1815 – December 6, 1882) was one of the most successful, prolific and respected English novelists of the Victorian era. ... Nationalization or nationalisation is the act of taking assets into state ownership. ... Harold Montague (Monty) Finniston (1912-1991) was a British industrialist born in Glasgow, Scotland. ... British Steel is a large British steel producer, privatised in 1988 under the Thatcher government. ... Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, LG, OM, PC, FRS (born 13 October 1925) was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990. ... Marks & Spencer plc (known also as M&S and sometimes colloquially as Marks and Sparks or Markss) is a British retailer. ... John Pilger John Pilger (born October 9, 1939) is an Australian journalist and documentary filmmaker from Sydney, primarily based in London, UK. // Life and career Pilgers career in journalism began in 1958, and he has developed his reputation through both his reporting and the various books and documentary films... The Winter of Discontent is a nickname given to the British winter of 1978–79, during which there were widespread strikes by Trade unions demanding larger pay rises for their members. ... Sarah Hogg, Viscountess Hailsham and Baroness Hogg is an English economist and a journalist. ... Sir John Major, KG, CH (born 29 March 1943) is a British politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1990 - 1997. ...

Inspirations

Yes, Minister (Series Three DVD cover)

In a programme screened by the BBC in early 2004, paying tribute to the series, it was revealed that Jay and Lynn had drawn on information provided by two insiders from the governments of Harold Wilson and James Callaghan, namely Marcia Williams and Bernard Donoughue. The name of Hacker's ministry was partly derived from the Department for Economic Affairs, which had existed in the 1960s, created and abolished by Wilson. The fundamental plot of a minister being frustrated by the Civil Service was inspired by the published diaries of Richard Crossman after 1964, which are dominated by Crossman's constant struggle with Dame Evelyn Sharp, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Housing and Local Government. The title was probably suggested by Crossman's entry for October 22, 1964, less than a week after he had been appointed: Image File history File links Yes-Minister-DVD-3. ... Image File history File links Yes-Minister-DVD-3. ... James Harold Wilson, Baron Wilson of Rievaulx, KG, OBE, FRS, PC (11 March 1916 – 24 May 1995) was one of the most prominent and successful British politicians of the 20th Century. ... The Right Honourable Leonard James Callaghan, Baron Callaghan of Cardiff, KG, PC (March 27, 1912 – March 26, 2005), was Labour Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1976 to 1979. ... Marcia Matilda Falkender, Baroness Falkender (born March 10, 1932) is a British Labour politician, being first the private secretary for, and then the political secretary and head of political office to, Harold Wilson. ... The Secretary of State for Economic Affairs was a position in the United Kingdom government briefly established by Harold Wilson in October 1964. ... The 1960s decade refers to the years from 1960 to 1969, inclusive. ... Richard Howard Stafford Crossman (15 December 1907 to April 1974) was a British politician and writer. ... 1964 (MCMLXIV) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1964 calendar). ... October 22 is the 295th day of the year (296th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 70 days remaining. ... 1964 (MCMLXIV) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1964 calendar). ...

"...Already I realise the tremendous effort it requires not to be taken over by the Civil Service. My Minister's room is like a padded cell, and in certain ways I am like a person who is suddenly certified a lunatic and put safely into this great, vast room, cut off from real life and surrounded by male and female trained nurses and attendants. When I am in a good mood they occasionally allow an ordinary human being to come and visit me; but they make sure that I behave right, and that the other person behaves right; and they know how to handle me. Of course, they don't behave quite like nurses because the Civil Service is profoundly deferential — 'Yes, Minister! No, Minister! If you wish it, Minister!'"

Some of the material for the episodes is clearly derived from or based on part of Anthony Sampson's book Anatomy of Britain (Hodder and Stoughton, 1962). The episode entitled "The Moral Dimension", in which Hacker and his staff engage in the scheme of secretly consuming alcohol on a trade mission to the fictional Islamic state of Qumran, was revealed to have been based on a real incident that took place in Pakistan. Anthony Terrell Seward Sampson (August 3, 1926–December 18, 2004) was a British writer and founding member of the SDP. During the 1950s he edited the magazine Drum in Johannesburg, South Africa. ... Anatomy of Britain was a book written by Anthony Sampson and published by Hodder & Stoughton. ... Bottles of cachaça, a Brazilian alcoholic beverage. ... Islam (Arabic: ; ) is a monotheistic religion based on the Quran. ... Qumran is a fictional country in the 1980s sitcoms Yes, Minister and Yes, Prime Minister. ...

Episode list

Thirty-eight episodes were made in total, running from 1980 to 1988. The dates listed are when a particular episode first aired on the BBC. 1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday. ... 1988 (MCMLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is the largest broadcasting corporation in the world. ...

Yes, Minister

Series One

• "Open Government" (February 25, 1980). The new Minister's idealistic commitment to open the windows of his department faces its first hurdle.
• "The Official Visit" (March 3, 1980). Hacker welcomes the visit of the President of Buranda, who turns out to be an old university chum.
• "The Economy Drive" (March 10, 1980). Hacker plans to slim down the Civil Service. His own economy drive will set a personal example — won't it?
• "Big Brother" (March 17, 1980). A new National Integrated Database will give everyone access to their own files. Sounds simple enough? Not to Sir Humphrey.
• "The Writing on the Wall" (March 24, 1980). With their department under threat, Hacker and Sir Humphrey both look to the proposed introduction of a compulsory European Identity Card to save it.
• "The Right to Know" (March 31, 1980). The controversy over a threatened badger colony allows Sir Humphrey to show that there are some things it is better for a Minister not to know.
• "Jobs For the Boys" (April 7, 1980). When Hacker turns to a banker to rescue a doomed building project, he soon discovers it takes two to QUANGO.

February 25 is the 56th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday. ... March 3 is the 62nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (63rd in leap years). ... 1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday. ... Buranda is a fictional West African LDC that features in Yes, Minister and Yes, Prime Minister. ... March 10 is the 69th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (70th in leap years). ... 1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday. ... March 17 is the 76th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (77th in Leap years). ... 1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday. ... March 24 is the 83rd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (84th in Leap years). ... 1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday. ... March 31 is the 90th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (91st in Leap years), with 275 days remaining. ... 1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday. ... April 7 is the 97th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (98th in leap years). ... 1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday. ...

Series Two

• "The Compassionate Society" (February 23, 1981). A brand new hospital with full staff operates with a high level of efficiency. So why is the Minister obsessed with its lack of patients?
• "Doing the Honours" (March 2, 1981). Hacker's plan to withhold honours for civil servants who do not reduce their budgets seems irresistible. But he has not counted on Sir Humphrey's old boy network.
• "The Death List" (March 9, 1981). In opposition the Minister campaigned against bugging and phone tapping, but a change in circumstances soon reveals that covert surveillance has its advantages.
• "The Greasy Pole" (March 16, 1981). Plans for a new chemical factory hinge on the outcome of an independent report, but even scientific evidence can be manipulated.
• "The Devil You Know" (March 23, 1981). A Cabinet reshuffle coincides with a vacancy in Brussels. Surely Hacker's job is safe, after all, he's done all right — hasn't he?
• "The Quality of Life" (March 30, 1981). Thanks to some crafty timing from Sir Humphrey, a city farm Hacker vowed to keep open is being bulldozed to make way for a car park for Inland Revenue inspectors. Why is Sir Humphrey so smug about it?
• "A Question of Loyalty" (April 6, 1981). In a major speech, Hacker has declared the Department of Administrative Affairs to be at the forefront of the war on government waste, but a select committee tests the Minister's loyalty to his department.

February 23 is the 54th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... March 2 is the 61st day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (62nd in leap years). ... 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... March 9 is the 68th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (69th in Leap years). ... 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... March 16 is the 75th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (76th in Leap years). ... 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... March 23 is the 82nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (83rd in Leap years). ... 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... March 30 is the 89th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (90th in leap years). ... 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Inland Revenue was, until April 2005, a department of the British Government responsible for the collection of direct taxation, including income tax, national insurance contributions, capital gains tax, inheritance tax, corporation tax, petroleum revenue tax and stamp duty. ... April 6 is the 96th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (97th in leap years). ... 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Series Three

• "Equal Opportunities" (November 11, 1982). Sir Humphrey doesn't see eye to eye with the Minister's plan for sexual equality.
• "The Challenge" (November 18, 1982). Fallout shelters upset Hacker's crusade to make local authorities responsible for their expenditure.
• "The Skeleton in the Cupboard" (November 25, 1982). The name of a young Civil Servant who made a complete mess of a defence contract is about to be revealed under the 30-year-rule, and Sir Humphrey seems unaccountably nervous.
• "The Moral Dimension" (December 2, 1982). After signing a huge export order in Qumran, Hacker is upset to discover it was obtained through bribery. He cannot agree to cover up this corruption, can he?
• "The Bed of Nails" (December 9, 1982). Hacker must formulate an Integrated Transport Policy. But the title of Transport Supremo turns out not to be worth having.
• "The Whisky Priest" (December 16, 1982). Hacker learns that British bombs are ending up in the hands of Italian terrorists. The Prime Minister must be told! Mustn't he?
• "The Middle-Class Rip-Off" (December 23, 1982). Subsidising a local football club promises to bring Hacker enormous popularity in his constituency. However, Sir Humphrey plans to prevent such barbarism.

November 11 is the 315th day of the year (316th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 50 days remaining. ... 1982 (MCMLXXXII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... November 18 is the 322nd day of the year (323rd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar with 43 days remaining. ... 1982 (MCMLXXXII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... November 25 is the 329th (in leap years the 330th) day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1982 (MCMLXXXII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... December 2 is the 336th day (337th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1982 (MCMLXXXII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... December 9 is the 343rd day (344th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1982 (MCMLXXXII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... December 16 is the 350th day of the year (351st in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1982 (MCMLXXXII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... December 23 is the 357th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (358th in leap years). ... 1982 (MCMLXXXII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Special

• "Party Games" (December 17, 1984). The unexpected resignation of the PM prompts a race for Number 10 among his former colleagues, but the two front runners are from the extreme wings of the party. The newly appointed Cabinet Secretary, Sir Humphrey, knows just what kind of man they need. But first that man has to overcome his problems with the Eurosausage.

December 17 is the 351st day of the year (352nd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1984 (MCMLXXXIV) was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Yes, Prime Minister

Series One

• "The Grand Design" (January 9, 1986). As Prime Minister, Hacker's finger is on the nuclear button. Confused over some tough questions, he comes up with his own defence policy, "Hacker's Grand Design".
• "The Ministerial Broadcast" (January 16, 1986). As Hacker is coached and groomed for a television speech about his new defence policy, Sir Humphrey is more concerned with what he says than how he says it.
• "The Smokescreen" (January 23, 1986). When Hacker champions his Health Minister's plan to abolish smoking by excessive taxation, a horrified Sir Humphrey mobilises the tobacco lobby.
• "The Key" (January 30, 1986). A territorial battle between Sir Humphrey and Dorothy Wainwright, the PM's political advisor, reminds Hacker that his Cabinet Secretary may have too much power. But Sir Humphrey is not about to let Hacker clip his wings.
• "A Real Partnership" (February 6, 1986). A governmental financial crisis collides with an excessive Civil Service pay claim. Sir Humphrey has to summon all his skills to get the claim past a well-informed PM — and gain an upper hand over the Permanent Secretary to the Treasury.
• "A Victory for Democracy" (February 13, 1986). Is the Foreign Office there to carry out government policy, or is the government there to carry out Foreign Office policy? Hacker is about to find out.
• "The Bishop's Gambit" (February 20, 1986). When a British nurse is sentenced to forty lashes and ten years in a Qumrani jail, the PM has to decide whether to be heartless or mindless. He also has to choose whom to appoint to the bishopric of Bury St. Edmunds.
• "One of Us" (February 27, 1986). While a sheepdog, trapped on an artillery range, is stealing the PM's headlines, MI5 drops a bombshell. It seems the recently deceased Head of MI5 was a Russian spy — and Sir Humphrey headed the Committee of Inquiry that cleared him.

January 9 is the 9th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1986 (MCMLXXXVI) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Do not change January 16 it preserves the date correctly formatted and stops robots from delinking it. ... 1986 (MCMLXXXVI) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... January 23 is the 23rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1986 (MCMLXXXVI) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... January 30 is the 30th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1986 (MCMLXXXVI) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... February 6 is the 37th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1986 (MCMLXXXVI) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... February 13 is the 44th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1986 (MCMLXXXVI) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... February 20 is the 51st day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1986 (MCMLXXXVI) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Bury St. ... February 27 is the 58th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1986 (MCMLXXXVI) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Series Two

• "Man Overboard" (December 3, 1987). The Ministry of Defence is in turmoil over the Employment Secretary's plan to create civilian jobs by moving servicemen north. The PM is in favour, until Sir Humphrey hints that the Employment Secretary is plotting against him.
• "Official Secrets" (December 10, 1987). The former PM's memoirs have to be scrutinized for security reasons. When Hacker receives a chapter that is less than complimentary about him, it is leaked to the press that he tried to suppress its publication.
• "A Diplomatic Incident" (December 17, 1987). The sudden death of the former PM, and therefore his memoirs, gives Hacker an opportunity to host a joyful state funeral. Meanwhile the French will stop at nothing to get their way over the Channel Tunnel.
• "A Conflict of Interest" (December 31, 1987). With the Party Conference imminent, rumours of a scandal in the City do nothing to improve the PM's press. Sir Humphrey knows that the only way to avoid disaster depends on the new Governor of the Bank of England. Can he persuade the PM to appoint the right man?
• "Power to the People" (January 7, 1988). Hacker is having problems with local government, and especially with Agnes Moorhouse of Houndsworth Council who wants to abolish parliament, the courts and the monarchy. She must be stopped! Hacker's Reform Bill might be the way.
• "The Patron of the Arts" (January 14, 1988). The PM must address the annual British Theatre Awards Dinner, televised to 12 million viewers. Unfortunately, the frugal size of the Arts Council grant has just been revealed. Can the Director of the National Theatre be persuaded to give the right sort of introduction?
• "The National Education Service" (January 21, 1988). It is time for Hacker to get a grip on the disastrous education system. He could abolish the Department of Education and Science — but what will Sir Humphrey say?
• "The Tangled Web" (January 28, 1988). Hacker has (technically) committed the ultimate political sin — lying to Parliament. Sir Humphrey has a moral responsibility to tell the truth, unless Hacker can employ some gentle persuasion.

December 3 is the 337th (in leap years the 338th) day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1987 (MCMLXXXVII) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... December 10 is the 344th day (345th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1987 (MCMLXXXVII) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... December 17 is the 351st day of the year (352nd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1987 (MCMLXXXVII) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The British terminal at Cheriton, from the Pilgrims Way. ... December 31 is the 365th day of the year (366th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1987 (MCMLXXXVII) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... January 7 is the seventh day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1988 (MCMLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... January 14 is the 14th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1988 (MCMLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... January 21 is the 21st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1988 (MCMLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... January 28 is the 28th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1988 (MCMLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Character list

Main characters

• James "Jim" Hacker — Minister of Administrative Affairs; also Party Chair (in "Party Games"); then Prime Minister, played by Paul Eddington
• Sir Humphrey Appleby — Permanent Secretary of the Department of Administrative Affairs; then Cabinet Secretary, played by Nigel Hawthorne
• Bernard Woolley — Jim Hacker's Principal Private Secretary, played by Derek Fowlds

Party Chair is the title given to the Chairman of the governing political party of the UK. At the moment, the Labour party Chairman, Ian McCartney, is Party Chair as well as being the Cabinet position of Minister without Portfolio. ...

Other characters

• Frank Weisel — Hacker's political advisor (in the first series of Yes, Minister), played by Neil Fitzwiliam
• Dorothy Wainwright — Special Advisor to the Prime Minister (in Yes, Prime Minister), played by Deborah Norton
• Anne "Annie" Hacker — Hacker's wife, played by Diana Hoddinott
• Lucy Hacker — Hacker's daughter (seen only in the Yes, Minister episode "The Right to Know"), played by Gerry Cowper
• Sir Arnold Robinson — Cabinet Secretary (in Yes, Minister); later President of the Campaign for Freedom of Information, played by John Nettleton
• Sir Desmond Glazebrook — Board member, then Chairman, of Bartlett's Bank; City of London banker and old friend of Sir Humphrey; becomes Governor of the Bank of England (in the Yes, Prime Minister episode "A Conflict of Interest"), played by Richard Vernon
• Sir Frank Gordon — Permanent Secretary to the Treasury (in Yes, Prime Minister), played by Peter Cellier
• Sir Frederick Stewart — Permanent Secretary of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (known as "Jumbo" to his friends), played by John Savident
• George — Hacker's driver in five episodes of Yes, Minister, played by Arthur Cox

Over sixty one countries around the world have implemented some form of freedom of information legislation, which sets rules on governmental secrecy. ... Coat of arms The City of London is a small area in Greater London. ... The Bank of England is the central bank of the United Kingdom, sometimes known as The Old Lady of Threadneedle Street or The Old Lady. The nearest London Underground station is Bank station. ... Sir Richard Vernon (March 7, 1925 - December 4, 1997) was a British actor. ... The new eastern entrance to HM Treasury HM Treasury (Her/His Majestys Treasury) is the United Kingdom government department responsible for and putting into effect the UK Governments financial and economic policy. ... The Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Whitehall, seen from St. ... John Savident (born 1938) is a well-known British actor. ... Arthur Cox is a British actor of television and film. ...

Remakes

• Not My Department — Canadian remake from 1987.
• Rosenbaddarna — Swedish unofficial remake from 1990.
• Sim, Sr. Ministro — Portuguese remake from 1996. Note that the name of the original series was also translated to Sim, Sr. Ministro whenever it was broadcast in Portugal, thus some confusion can arise between the two series, as the name may refer to either one.
• Ji, Mantriji — Official remake in Hindi, with the BBC's permission, by Star Plus, Rupert Murdoch's Indian satellite TV channel. The title translates to "Yes, Minister". Aired in 2001.

A rumour amongst ex-Whitehall staff suggests that in 1992/3 the Central Computer and Telecommunications Agency (CCTA— a now defunct UK Government body which provided advice and support for UK Government computer projects) proposed that a single new episode be made with their support, incorporating some computer security educational material. The opportunity to make use of the word 'Hacker' must have seemed irresistible. The project was apparently agreed in principle between the BBC and the CCTA, but was blocked by the Cabinet Office and Security Service (MI5). Not My Department was a Canadian television sitcom, which aired on the CBC in 1987. ... 1987 (MCMLXXXVII) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the year. ... 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty. ... Ji, Mantriji literally translates to Yes, Minister in Hindi. ... Hindi (हिन्दी hind), an Indo-European language spoken mainly in North, Central, and West India, is the official language of the Indian Union. ... Star Plus Star Plus is a Hindi language television channel in India. ... Rupert Murdoch Keith Rupert Murdoch, AC, KCSG, (born 11 March 1941) is an Australian-born American citizen, based in New York City, who is a major shareholder and the Chairman and Managing Director of News Corporation. ... 2001: A Space Odyssey. ...

Trivia

• During the premierships of Margaret Thatcher and John Major, the resident cat of 10 Downing Street was called Humphrey after the character in the TV series. Humphrey "retired" in 1997, rumoured to be because Cherie Blair dislikes cats, and died in the care of a civil servant on 19 March 2006.
• When Paul Eddington visited Australia during the 1980s, he was treated as a visiting British PM by the then Australian leader, Bob Hawke, who was obviously a great fan of the show.

Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, LG, OM, PC, FRS (born 13 October 1925) was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990. ... Sir John Major, KG, CH (born 29 March 1943) is a British politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1990 - 1997. ... Trinomial name Felis silvestris catus Schreber, 1775 For alternative meanings see cat (disambiguation). ... Humphrey (c. ... Cherie Booth QC in full queens counsel ceremonial garments. ... March 19 is the 78th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (79th in leap years). ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Paul Eddington playing Jim Hacker in Yes, Prime Minister. ... Robert James Lee Hawke AC (born 9 December 1929) is a former Australian trade union leader turned politician who became the 23rd Prime Minister of Australia. ...

See also

• House of Cards — a political drama mini-series about the Machiavellian struggle of Chief Whip Francis Urquhart in becoming the next British Prime Minister. His story was later continued in To Play the King and The Final Cut.
• The New Statesman — a comedy series of the scandal-ridden life of a British MP.
• The Thick of It — a 2005 BBC4 series, draws inspiration from Yes, Minister.
• The West Wing (US television) — political drama involving the President and White House staff
• Absolute Power (British television) — political/media sitcom involving a public relations company in London
• List of fictional politicians

House of Cards was a political thriller novel written by Michael Dobbs, a former Chief of Staff at Conservative Party headquarters, which was set at the end of Margaret Thatchers tenure as British Prime Minister. ... The Chief Whip is a political office in some legislatures assigned to an elected member whose task is to administer the whipping system that ensures that members of the party attend and vote as the party leadership desires. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Prime Minister Francis Urquhart (Ian Richardson) and the King (Michael Kitchen) in the BBC Television Drama To Play the King. ... The Final Cut is the third part of the House of Cards trilogy, a British television series. ... Rik Mayall as Alan Bstard in The New Statesman The New Statesman was an award-winning British sitcom of the 1980s satirising the Conservative government of the time. ... The Thick of It is a British comedy television series, which satirised the inner workings of the British government. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... BBC Four is a BBC television channel available to digital TV (Freeview, satellite and UK. Contents // Categories: Stub | BBC television channels | British TV channels ... The West Wing (1999–2006) is a popular and widely acclaimed American television serial drama created by Aaron Sorkin. ... See Absolute Power (book) for the 1996 book by David Baldacci and the Clint Eastwood film. ... This is a list of political office holders from works of fiction. ...

External links

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to:

Yes, Minister

• "Yes, Minister" at IMDb
• British sitcom guide
• Yes, Minister / Yes, Prime Minister fan page
• BBC guide to the programmes
• Another guide to all the episodes
• Encyclopedia of Television
• British Film Institute Screen Online