Yes, Minister
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Yes, Minister and its sequel, Yes, Prime Minister, are British sitcoms that were transmitted by the BBC between 1980 and 1988. The respective settings for each were the private office of a government minister and 10 Downing Street. All 38 episodes were written by Antony Jay and Jonathan Lynn and all but one are 30 minutes in length.
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Plot
The running theme of most of the programmes 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 in a crucial supporting role as Hacker's Principal Private Secretary, Bernard Woolley. Woolley typically finds himself as the 'man in the middle', torn by his personal loyalty to Hacker and his institutional alliance with Sir Humphrey, his boss.
The main idea behind the conflict is that politicians, such as Hacker, are elected. Their goal in their professional life is therefore to be re-elected. In order to achieve that, they need to "do" things, to show some activity and, in general, to stand out in the mind of the voters as effective people of action. Civil servants, like Sir Humphrey, retire at a fixed age, at which point they will have a large indexed pension. In the meantime, they enjoy a substantial income, and great power. (It is mentioned in both series that Sir Humphrey earns more money than Hacker; the Cabinet Secretary's other sources of remuneration are explained in a scene of "Party Games".) A change in any of the institutions would threaten the civil servants' easy life. Politicians and civil servants are therefore involved in an ongoing conflict. For example, Sir Humphrey often mentions that a civil servant's power is measured by the number of people who work for him. He will therefore try to block any change that will reduce the size of a government administration or the complexity of its bureaucracy. Hacker, who knows that it would be a vote-winner, is desperate to do just that — or to at least look like he has done it.
The first series featured a character called Frank Weisel, played by Neil Fitzwiliam (Sir Humphrey persistently called him "Mr. Weasel"), who was Hacker's political adviser. After his appointment to a commission of enquiry into Quangos (Quasi-Autonomous Non-Governmental Organisations), Weisel leaves the series. When, after 1984, Hacker becomes Prime Minister, Sir Humphrey has also just been promoted to Cabinet Secretary and Hacker 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 the Special Adviser to the Prime Minister. She was portrayed as being highly able and knowing all of Sir Humphrey's tricks, which ensured a lasting distrust between them. Hacker's home life is shown occasionally. His wife, Annie (Diana Hoddinott), is clearly not happy with the disruptions caused by political life and somewhat cynical about her husband's politics. Meanwhile, his sociology student daughter, Lucy (Gerry Cowper), becomes an environmental activist who campaigns against her father's policies (she appears on screen in only one episode, though is referred to in others).
Much of the show's humour 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 will deal with Jim Hacker wanting to move 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 doing anything, but lets him think that he has scored a political victory. However, Hacker occasionally gains the upper hand. (Sometimes, as in the episode "The Greasy Pole", this occurs at one of the few times when, of the two of them, Sir Humphrey is the one with the better intentions.) Other characteristics include Sir Humphrey's complicated sentences, his cynical views on government and his general toffiness, Hacker's bumbling and tendency to go into ludicrous Churchillian speeches when politically inspired, and Bernard's linguistic pedantry. Sir Humphrey often discusses matters with other Permanent Secretaries, who appear at least equally cynical 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.
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 this is why they have theologians, to explain why an agnostic can be a church leader.
Most episodes end with one of the characters (usually Sir Humphrey) saying "Yes, Minister" or "Yes, Prime Minister" accordingly. In general, each instalment of the former series was self-contained, but the latter contained what could be loosely described as a "story arc".
Critical reception
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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.
The series have been cited by political scientists for their accurate and sophisticated portrayal of these relationships. The shows were very popular in governmental circles and they were the favourite programme of then Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher, leading to her staging a four-minute sketch with the show's two principal actors. Another ten-minute sketch was performed as part of a Christmas Special in 1982. Interestingly, she read the show as an indictment of the civil service while others believe it is an indictment of the British parliamentary system. Most people agree that it is a combination of both.
Background
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 in the penultimate episode, regarding education policy.
Despite this, the thrust of the early episodes was in a generally neo-liberal direction. The episode "Jobs for the Boys" was clear in its rejection of the tripartite form of corporatism that Mrs Thatcher's government was determined to roll back. 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 and Thatcher's personality came to eclipse the policy agenda, the partnership produced episodes such as "Man Overboard", which satirised the Westland affair.
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 Ministerial special advisor on efficiency, 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.
Inspirations
In a tribute programme to the series, screened by the BBC in early 2004, 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:
"...Already I realize 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.
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.
Yes, Minister
Series One
- "Open Government" (February 25, 1980)
- "The Official Visit" (March 3, 1980)
- "The Economy Drive" (March 10, 1980)
- "Big Brother" (March 17, 1980)
- "The Writing on the Wall" (March 24, 1980)
- "The Right to Know" (March 31, 1980)
- "Jobs For the Boys" (April 7, 1980)
Series Two
- "The Compassionate Society" (February 23, 1981)
- "Doing the Honours" (March 2, 1981)
- "The Death List" (March 9, 1981)
- "The Greasy Pole" (March 16, 1981)
- "The Devil You Know" (March 23, 1981)
- "The Quality of Life" (March 30, 1981)
- "A Question of Loyalty" (April 6, 1981)
Series Three
- "Equal Opportunities" (November 11, 1982)
- "The Challenge" (November 18, 1982)
- "The Skeleton in the Cupboard" (November 25, 1982)
- "The Moral Dimension" (December 2, 1982)
- "The Bed of Nails" (December 9, 1982)
- "The Whisky Priest" (December 16, 1982)
- "The Middle-Class Rip-Off" (December 23, 1982)
Special
- "Party Games" (December 17, 1984)
- A one-hour Christmas Special, dealing with Hacker's transition to Prime Minister
Yes, Prime Minister
Series One
- "The Grand Design" (January 9, 1986)
- "The Ministerial Broadcast" (January 16, 1986)
- "The Smokescreen" (January 23, 1986)
- "The Key" (January 30, 1986)
- "A Real Partnership" (February 6, 1986)
- "A Victory for Democracy" (February 13, 1986)
- "The Bishop's Gambit" (February 20, 1986)
- "One of Us" (February 27, 1986)
Series Two
- "Man Overboard" (December 3, 1987)
- "Official Secrets" (December 10, 1987)
- "A Diplomatic Incident" (December 17, 1987)
- "A Conflict of Interest" (December 31, 1987)
- "Power to the People" (January 7, 1988)
- "The Patron of the Arts" (January 14, 1988)
- "The National Education Service" (January 21, 1988)
- "The Tangled Web" (January 28, 1988)
Character list
Main characters
- James "Jim" Hacker — Minister in the Department of Administrative Affairs; also Party Chair (in the special Party Games episode); then Prime Minister
- Sir Humphrey Appleby — Permanent Secretary of the Department of Administrative Affairs; then Cabinet Secretary
- Bernard Woolley — Jim Hacker's Principal Private Secretary throughout
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 the two Yes, Prime Minister series)
- Anne "Annie" Hacker — Hacker's wife
- Lucy Hacker — Hacker's daughter (seen only in the Yes, Minister Series One episode The Right to Know) played by Gerry Cowper
- Sir Arnold Robinson — Cabinet Secretary (in the three Yes, Minister series); later President of the Campaign for Freedom of Information
- 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 Series Two episode "A Conflict of Interest") — played by Richard Vernon
- Sir Frank Gordon — Permanent Secretary to the Treasury (in the two Yes, Prime Minister series) — 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
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.
An interesting rumour amongst ex-Whitehall staff suggests that in 1992/3 the Central Computer and Telecommunications Agency (CCTA —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 at a late date by the Cabinet Office and Security Service (MI5).
Trivia
- During the prime ministerships 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.
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
- Buranda — a fictional West African state, under the rule of one of Hacker's former university associates.
- Qumran, the stereotypical Arab sheikhdom of the show.