Yes Minister

Mayor: David Lloyd Evans, 4,106... Narrator: And here at Birmingham East, the Returning Officer is just declaring the result. Mayor: ...James George Hacker: 21,793! Arthur William Gaunt: 19,321! Narrator: So Jim Hacker's back with an increased majority, and after many years as a Shadow Minister, seems almost certain to get a post in the new Government.

Yes, Minister, CC BY-SA 4.0

Bernard: A sherry Minister? Hacker: Jim. Bernard: Oh, gin. Hacker: No, no, Jim, Jim. Call me Jim. Bernard: Oh. Oh, well I think it was all the same to you. I would prefer to call you Minister, Minister. Hacker: Minister, Minister? Oh quite, quite. I see what you mean. Does that mean I have to call you Private Secretary, Private Secretary? Bernard: No, do call me Bernard. Hacker: Thank you, Bernard. (Bernard gives him a glass) Bernard: You're most welcome, Minister. Hacker: Cheers, Bernard. Bernard: Your health, Minister. Hacker: Well what now? Bernard: Ah, Minister, allow me to present Sir Humphrey Appleby, Permanent Under Secretary of State and Head of the D.A.A.. Hacker: Hello, Sir Humphrey. Sir Humphrey: Hello, and welcome. (Shakes hands with Minister Hacker) Hacker: Thank you, Sir Humphrey. Bernard: I believe you know each other. Sir Humphrey: Yes, we did cross swords when the minister gave me a grilling over the estimates in the Public Accounts Committee. Hacker: I wouldn't say th

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Bernard: But surely the citizens of a democracy have a right to know. Sir Humphrey: No. They have a right to be ignorant. Knowledge only means complicity in guilt; ignorance has a certain dignity.

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Jim Hacker: What's the difference? Bernard: Well, "under consideration" means "we've lost the file"; "under active consideration" means "we're trying to find it".

Yes, Minister, CC BY-SA 4.0

Hacker: Humphrey, do you think it is a good idea to issue a statement? Sir Humphrey: Well, Minister, in practical terms we have the usual six options. One: do nothing. Two: issue a statement deploring the speech. Three: lodge an official protest. Four: cut off aid. Five: break off diplomatic relations. And six: declare war. Hacker: Which should be it? Sir Humphrey: Well, if we do nothing, that means we implicitly agree with the speech. If we issue a statement, we'll just look foolish. If we lodge a protest, it'll be ignored. We can't cut off aid, because we don't give them any. If we break off diplomatic relations, then we can't negotiate the oil rig contracts. And if we declare war, it might just look as though we were over-reacting.

Yes, Minister, CC BY-SA 4.0

Hacker: Bernard, this government is here to govern, not merely preside like our predecessors did. When a country is going downhill, it is time for someone to get into the driving seat, and put his foot on the accelerator. Bernard Woolley: I think you mean the brake.

Yes, Minister, CC BY-SA 4.0