Yes Minister - S01E01 - Open Government - video Dailymotion

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00:01David Lloyd-Evans.

00:02And here at Birmingham East, the returning officer is just declaring the result.

00:06J. George Hacker, 21,793.

00:10Arthur William Gort, 19,000...

00:14So Jim Hacker's back with an increased majority,

00:16and after many years as a shadow minister,

00:18seems almost certain to get a post in the new government.

00:30But I haven't had a call yet.

00:32Who are you from?

00:34A new prime minister, of course.

00:36Who do you think?

00:38I haven't had a call yet.

00:40Who are you?

00:42A new prime minister, of course.

00:44Who are you?

00:46Who are you?

00:48A new prime minister, of course.

00:50Who do you think?

00:52I've been calling

00:58Our new Prime Minister, of course. Who do you think?

01:00Well, what do you expect? The car's only just got back from the palace.

01:02I saw it on the news.

01:03Oh. Any moment now, then.

01:07So, who's on the phone?

01:09Frank Weisel. He's coming right over.

01:11Why doesn't he just move in?

01:14Well, sometimes I don't understand you.

01:15He's my political advisor. I depend on him more than anyone.

01:18Why don't you marry him?

01:19Oh, darling. I'm too overreact to everything, sir.

01:23Here we are.

01:24Jim Hacker. Yes?

01:26Oh, it's you.

01:27Yes. It was a good party, wasn't it?

01:29Yes, I've got a bit of a headache, too.

01:31Look, do you mind if I ring you back?

01:32I'm waiting for a rather important call.

01:34Yes. Bye-bye.

01:38Alderman Spottiswood.

01:40I wish people wouldn't keep ringing me up to congratulate me.

01:43Don't they realise I'm waiting for the call?

01:46You sound as if you're about to enter the ministry.

01:48Yes, but which ministry? That's the whole point.

01:50It was a joke.

01:52Oh.

01:53Hmm.

01:54You're very tense.

01:59No, no, I'm not tense.

02:00I'm just a politician's wife.

02:01I'm not allowed to have feelings.

02:03A happy, carefree politician's wife.

02:05What are you looking for?

02:09Cigarette. I can't find any.

02:11Try the cigarette box.

02:12It's empty.

02:14Take a Librium.

02:14I can't find the Librium. That's why I'm looking for a cigarette.

02:17Oh, Jim, I've had it.

02:21Would you, Pop?

02:22I can get some.

02:23Sorry, love.

02:24Don't leave the phone.

02:26Look, if the PM wants you to be in the stupid cabinet,

02:29the PM will phone back if you're out.

02:30Or you can phone back.

02:32Darling, the whole point is that I ran the campaign against the PM for the leadership.

02:35If I'm out, well, who knows?

02:37I could take a message.

02:41There it is.

02:43Hello? Yes? Speaking?

02:46Oh, it's you, Michael.

02:48No, I haven't had a call. Have you had a call?

02:51Bill's had a call.

02:52What's he got?

02:54Europe?

02:55Bill's got Europe.

02:56Lucky Europe.

02:58I didn't know Bill could speak French.

03:00He can hardly speak English.

03:02Yeah, I'll call you back if I hear anything.

03:04Right. Bye.

03:05Bye.

03:07Fingers crossed.

03:12Hello?

03:13Yes? Speaking?

03:15To the gas board.

03:19Good Lord, man, that was weeks ago.

03:22Yeah, well, would you mind?

03:23I'm waiting for a rather important call.

03:26Look, Mr Franklin,

03:27there happened to be a general election yesterday.

03:30Oh, you voted for the other side, did you?

03:33How on earth did you manage to get to the polling booth on the right day?

03:36Two assistants, three returns for spare parts.

03:40Look, Mr Franklin, look.

03:42Frankly, Franklin, I don't care if the whole central heating system collapses in ruins.

03:45I have got to get off this phone. Goodbye.

03:48They won't come now.

03:49If the PM gives me consumer affairs, they'll come.

03:53Hello?

03:55Hello?

03:56Hello?

03:57Darling, that's Mr Frank Jordan.

04:01Let's be Frank.

04:06Did you know Martin's got the Foreign Office?

04:08Has he?

04:09Jack's got health and Fred's got energy.

04:11Has anyone got brains?

04:13Would you be an education?

04:13No, I know what I mean.

04:16But what's left? I mean, what have I got?

04:17Rhythm.

04:20Frank, I have heard absolutely nothing.

04:23Not that it's surprising.

04:25My whole career is going down the drain and up a spout

04:28because the Prime Minister of England is totally unable to reach me on the electric telephone.

04:31You get it, would you, darling?

04:38Hello?

04:39Hello, this is the BBC.

04:41We were wondering if Mr Hacker would like to be interviewed on the PM programme this afternoon.

04:45PM?

04:46PM!

04:48Hello, yes, Jim Hacker here.

04:50Are you available this afternoon?

04:52Yes, any time you like.

04:53Any time you...

04:54We were wondering if perhaps we could interview you.

04:57Yes, I've been hoping you'd call.

04:58Tell me, what job do you think you're likely to get?

05:03I beg your pardon?

05:06Tell me, what job do you think you're likely to get?

05:09Hardly for me to say, is it?

05:11That's for you to tell me.

05:12What?

05:13What?

05:14I mean, well, it's not up to me to say.

05:15I mean, that's for the PM to say.

05:17I mean, you're the PM's office.

05:20Oh, I see.

05:20The BBC PM office.

05:23I see.

05:25Not a silly mistake, yes.

05:27Goodbye.

05:28Well, I did try and tell you.

05:33You answer the bloody thing.

05:38Hello?

05:40Oh, Mrs Hacker speaking.

05:42Oh, congratulations, Prime Minister.

05:45It's Annie here.

05:46Hi.

05:47Yes, it's...

05:48Hello.

05:50Yes, Prime Minister.

05:52Yes, of course.

05:54Yes, I...

05:55Right now.

05:56I'll be on the next train.

05:57Top tip for the Department of Administrative Affairs is Jim Hacker.

06:08Kenneth, isn't he on the young side for a cabinet post?

06:12Yes, well, he is in his late 40s, but it's certainly a jump up for him.

06:18On the other hand, this department's been a bit of a political graveyard recently.

06:23A further group of cabinet appointments has now been announced from number 10.

06:32The post of Minister of Administrative Affairs goes to Jim Hacker, the former Shadow Minister for Agriculture.

06:38Good afternoon, Minister.

06:47Good afternoon, Minister.

06:48Good afternoon.

06:49I'm Bernard Woolley, Principal and Private Secretary.

06:51This is Mr Lloyd Pritchard, Assistant Prime Minister.

06:54Thank you, dear.

06:54Uh, this is my political advisor.

06:56Oh, yes, of course.

06:58Mr Weizen.

06:59Weizen.

07:11I was the Minister's place for Prime Secretary, but of course that was in the last government office.

07:16However, if you, uh...

07:17Oh, no, no, no, no.

07:19I'm sure you'll be just a thing.

07:20Thank you, Minister.

07:21So kind.

07:25Where are we all going to?

07:26Well, you're going to your office, Minister.

07:30And what about Frank?

07:32Your friend?

07:33Oh, he's being taken care of, Minister.

07:37But this is the waiting room.

07:38Precisely, sir.

07:39But I'm Jim Hacker's special advisor.

07:41But the Minister now has a whole department to advise him, sir.

07:43Look, he needs me.

07:44Of course he does, sir.

07:45But until the Minister sends for you, would you be so good as to wait?

07:52Uh, Sherry, Minister?

07:54Jim.

07:55Oh, Jim.

07:57No, no, Jim.

07:58Jim, call me Jim.

07:59Oh.

08:01Well, I think if it's all the same to you, I would prefer to call you Minister, Minister.

08:05Minister, Minister?

08:07Oh, quiet, quiet.

08:08I see what you mean.

08:09Does that mean I have to call you Private Secretary, Private Secretary?

08:12No, do call me Bernard.

08:14Thank you, sir.

08:14You're most welcome, Minister.

08:16Cheers, Bernard.

08:17Your health, Minister.

08:20Well, what now?

08:23Ah, Minister, allow me to present Sir Humphrey Appleby, Permanent Under-Secretary of State and Head of the DAA.

08:29Hello, Sir Humphrey.

08:30Hello and welcome.

08:32Thank you, Sir Humphrey.

08:32I believe you know each other.

08:34Yes, we did cross swords when the Minister gave me a grilling over the estimates in the Public Accounts Committee.

08:39I wouldn't say that.

08:40Well, you came up with all the questions I hoped nobody would ask.

08:43Well, opposition's about asking awkward questions.

08:45And government is about not answering them.

08:47Well, you answer all mine anyway.

08:49I'm glad you thought so, Minister.

08:50Good luck.

08:55Well, who else is in this department?

08:57Well, briefly, sir, I am the Permanent Under-Secretary of State, known as the Permanent Secretary.

09:01Woolley, here's your Principal Private Secretary.

09:03I, too, have a Principal Private Secretary.

09:05And he is the Principal Private Secretary to the Permanent Secretary.

09:08Directly responsible to me are ten Deputy Secretaries, 87 Under-Secretaries, and 219 Assistant Secretaries.

09:16Directly responsible to the Principal Private Secretaries are plain Private Secretaries.

09:20And the Prime Minister will be appointing two Parliamentary Under-Secretaries,

09:23and you will be appointing your own Parliamentary Private Secretary.

09:27They all type.

09:30None of us can type, Minister.

09:32Mrs Mackay types.

09:34She's the Secretary.

09:35Pity, we could have opened an agency.

09:38Very gross, sir.

09:39Yes, very, very amusing, sir.

09:41Yeah, I suppose they all say that, don't they?

09:42Certainly not, Minister.

09:44Not quite all.

09:46Right, now then, to business.

09:49Now, you'll have to forgive me if I'm a bit blunt, but perhaps the sort of chap I am.

09:54Frankly, this department...

09:56You care for this chair very much.

09:58We can change it, Minister.

09:59Can you?

10:00We can change anything, Minister.

10:01The furniture, decor, office routine, your wish is our command.

10:04In that case, I'd like a new chair.

10:06I hate swivel chairs.

10:08It used to be said there were two kinds of chairs to go with two kinds of minister.

10:11One sort folds up instantly, the other sort goes round and round in circles.

10:14Now then, gentlemen, frankly, this department has got to cut a great sway through all this stuffy Whitehall bureaucracy.

10:28We want a new broom.

10:29We're going to throw open the windows, let in a bit of fresh air, cut through all the red tape, streamline this creaking old bureaucratic machine.

10:36You mean a clean sweep, Minister?

10:37That's it.

10:37A clean sweep.

10:38Far too many people just sitting behind desks.

10:41Not like us, of course.

10:46But we've got to get rid of all those people just making work for each other.

10:49Get rid of them?

10:50Yes.

10:51I think you mean redeploy them, sir.

10:52Yes.

10:52Oh, good Lord.

10:53No, I didn't mean put them out of work.

10:55No, no.

10:56Open government.

10:57That's what my party believes in.

10:58That was the main plank of our manifesto.

11:01Taking the nation into our confidence.

11:03How does that strike you?

11:05Do sit down.

11:05Oh, may I?

11:06In fact, just as you said in the House on May the 2nd last year, and again on November the 23rd, and in your Observer article, and in your Daily Mail interview, and as you're manifesting.

11:16You know about that.

11:18I'd like you to have a look at these proposals, Minister.

11:21They outline the ways in which this policy could be implemented, and contain draft proposals for a white paper for your approval.

11:27We thought the white paper might be called open government.

11:29What?

11:31You mean it's all been...

11:33All been taken care of, Minister.

11:35Oh, God.

11:36Ah.

11:37Who did all this?

11:37The creaking old bureaucratic machine.

11:39No, quite seriously.

11:41We are fully seized of the need for reform, and we have taken it on board.

11:46I must say I'm rather surprised.

11:48I expected to have to fight you all the way along the line with this.

11:51People do have funny ideas about the civil service.

11:53We're just here to help you formulate and implement your policies.

11:56Proposals for shortening approval procedures in planning appeals.

12:00Hansard, volume 497, page 1102, column B.

12:04Quote, Mr Hacker, is the minister aware that planning procedures make building a bungalow in the 20th century slower than building a cathedral in the 12th century?

12:13Opposition laughter and government cries of shame.

12:16Yeah, well, they didn't actually cry shame.

12:18Quite so, Mr Hacker.

12:20Well, I think that's it then.

12:22Oh, there are one or two more things, Minister.

12:24Oh, what things?

12:25Oh, yes, if you would just like to check your diary for next week, Minister.

12:28My diary?

12:29You didn't know I was coming?

12:31You didn't even know who'd win the election?

12:33Oh, we knew there would be a minister, Minister.

12:35Don't start that again.

12:37I'm sorry.

12:38Even though we didn't know it would be you.

12:40Yes, you see, Her Majesty does like the business of government to continue even when there are no politicians around.

12:45A bit difficult, surely?

12:46Yes.

12:47And no.

12:50It's going to be quite a busy week, Minister.

12:51Nine cabinet committees.

12:53The annual dinner of the Law Institute on Monday at 8, for which you will have to make a speech.

12:57Deputation from the British Computer Association, 10.30 Tuesday morning.

13:00Opening the National Union of Public Employers annual meeting at 11 on Wednesday, for which you'll have to make another speech.

13:04Wait a minute.

13:05What about all the other things I have to do?

13:07What other things, Minister?

13:08Well, I'm on four policy committees for the party, for a start.

13:10Well, I'm sure you won't want to be putting party before country, Minister.

13:14No, no, of course not.

13:17I'll just fetch your boxes, Minister.

13:19Boxes? Already?

13:20Yes, you see, we did manage to keep the last minister supplied with work throughout the campaign, but I fear...

13:26Well, it's not for me to criticise.

13:28What do you mean?

13:29Well, it's a harsh thing to say about anyone, but some of the boxes actually came back with the work not done.

13:35If you could complete the first four by Saturday evening, your driver could collect them and deliver the other two.

13:46Villa's at home to Liverpool.

13:47I've got a surgery in my constituency on Saturday.

13:49I suppose we could minimise the paperwork, so that you need only take the major policy decisions.

13:54No, no, no, no.

13:55I'll take all the decisions round here.

13:58Now then, what time shall I come in on Monday?

14:01You catch the 745 train from New Street, Minister, and your driver meets you at Euston, Platform 7.

14:06Fine.

14:06If I could just put in these draft proposals in here, and this is your key, Minister.

14:13Get out of my way, I've had enough of this.

14:15I'll go in there, just to try to stop me.

14:17Jim, what is going on?

14:19Frank, where have you been?

14:20Stuck in the waiting room.

14:21Do you mind? We are in private conference with the Minister.

14:24Then I should be here too.

14:25Why, sir?

14:25Now, calm down, Frank.

14:27Humphrey, Frank has got to have an office of his own in the department.

14:30Certainly, Minister, if you insist.

14:32I do insist.

14:32Well, I do think we have some spare office space in Walthamstow, don't we, Bernard?

14:40Walthamstow?

14:40Yes, surprising, isn't it?

14:42The government owns property all over London.

14:44I don't want to be in Walthamstow.

14:46It's in a very nice part.

14:47Walthamstow's a very nice place.

14:49So I gather.

14:50I need an office here, in this building.

14:51Oh, why is that?

14:52Yes, I agree with Frank.

14:54Well, in that case, Bernard, we must find an office here for Mr Weasel.

14:57Weasel.

14:58And I want copies of all the papers that come to me to go to Frank.

15:03All?

15:03All.

15:04It shall be done.

15:06All the appropriate papers.

15:17How's your new minister, Humphrey?

15:20Learning the rules very quickly for a new boy.

15:22How's your new cabinet?

15:23No problem.

15:24Can hardly tell the difference from the last one.

15:28Arnold, I hear the American ambassador has been spending a lot of time with the PM these

15:33last few days.

15:34Yes.

15:35Defense or trade?

15:36Both.

15:37The aerospace systems contract?

15:40Don't want the cabinet to hear about it yet.

15:42This, um, aerospace thingamy would be rather a coup for the PM, wouldn't it?

15:49Yes, of course.

15:49It's been in the pipeline for months, but the new PM will take the credit.

15:53Sir, sorry to intrude.

15:54Sir Arnold, Sir Humphrey, if you could just okay the redraft with the minister's winding

15:58up speech, I can get it straight down to the house.

16:00Yes, of course.

16:01Would you like to join us?

16:02Oh, uh, thank you, Sir Humphrey.

16:04As long as I'm not too long.

16:06Well, get yourself a cup of coffee.

16:12So it would be rather an embarrassment, PM, wouldn't it, if a hypothetical minister were

16:18to rock the Anglo-American boat?

16:22Grave embarrassment.

16:23How grave?

16:25Man overboard, I should think.

16:27Enough to cut short a promising new ministerial career?

16:32No question.

16:36Ah, pull up a chair, Barry.

16:40Oh, yes.

16:41And tell us what you think of our new minister.

16:44Well, uh, absolutely fine.

16:47Yes.

16:48We'll have him house-trained in no time.

16:51Swallowed the whole diary in one gulp, and I gather he did his boxes like a lamb last Saturday

16:55and Sunday.

16:56Yes, yes, he did.

16:57As long as we can head him off this open government nonsense.

17:00But I thought we were calling the white paper open government.

17:03Yes, well, always disposed of the difficult bit.

17:06It's in the title.

17:07There's less harm there than in the text.

17:09The more of inverse relevance, the less you intend to do about something, the more you

17:12have to keep talking about it.

17:14But, uh, what's wrong with open government?

17:16I mean, why shouldn't the public know more about what's going on?

17:20Are you serious?

17:23Well, uh, yes, sir.

17:24I mean, it is the minister's policy, after all.

17:27Well, boy, it's a contradiction in terms.

17:29You can be open, or you can have government.

17:32But...

17:32But surely the citizens of a democracy have a right to know.

17:37No, they have a right to be ignorant.

17:41Knowledge only means complicity and guilt.

17:43Ignorance has a certain dignity.

17:45But if the minister wants soap and gum...

17:47You don't just give people what they want if it's not good for them.

17:51Do you give brandy to an alcoholic?

17:54Oh.

17:54If people don't know what you're doing, they don't know what you're doing wrong.

18:01Well, I'm sorry, Sir Humphrey.

18:02I am the minister's private secretary, and if that's what he wants, then...

18:05My dear fellow, you will not be serving your minister by helping him to make a fool of himself.

18:09Look at the ministers we've had.

18:11Every one of them would have been a laughingstock in three months

18:14had it not been for the most rigid and impenetrable secrecy about what they were up to.

18:19What have you proposed to do about it, sir?

18:23Can you keep a secret?

18:24Of course.

18:29So can I.

18:32Excuse me, I have to make a phone call.

18:36Well, I'd better be getting this back to the minister.

18:44Martin, has the weasel had a copy of the invoice for the new American of dressing machines?

18:50No, Sir Humphrey. I thought you said it was sensitive.

18:52So it is.

18:52Get it to him today.

18:54Oh, and Martin, let him find it near the bottom of the pile.

18:59Jim, Jim.

19:06Yeah?

19:07Look what I've found.

19:09We've got them. We've got them by the short and curlies.

19:11What are you talking about?

19:12We've got Sir Humphrey Bloody Appleby and Mr. Toppy Nose Private Secretary Snooty Woolly just where we want them.

19:18See this? This innocent-looking piece of paper. Political dynamite.

19:24All right, calm down, Frank. I don't even know what you're talking about.

19:27This is an invoice for 1,000 computer video display terminals at 10,000 pounds each. That's 10 million pounds.

19:37Yes, sir.

19:39Made by the Pittsburgh Manufacturing Corporation, Inc.

19:44Imported? From America?

19:45I know.

19:46But we make computer peripherals in this country, in my constituency.

19:50I know.

19:52What about unemployment?

19:53I know!

19:55This must be stopped.

20:00Sir Humphrey, is it... Oh, sorry, ma'am.

20:02No, no, no. Come in. As a matter of fact, I want to see you both. Come on.

20:06Sir Humphrey, take a seat.

20:07Thank you, ma'am.

20:08Now then, Frank here has just discovered this contract for the import of 10 million pounds' worth of video display terminals from America.

20:18Merci.

20:23Oh, yes. For the whole civil service in Whitehall.

20:26But they're not British.

20:27That is unfortunately true.

20:29But we make these machines in this country.

20:31Not of the same quality.

20:32Better quality. They're made in my constituency.

20:34We will advise...

20:37Humphrey, this contract must be stopped.

20:39Oh, no, I'm afraid that's beyond my power, Minister.

20:42This could only be cancelled by the Treasury.

20:44Oh, why's that?

20:44Well, a major policy change for the civil service to cancel contracts freely entered into, especially with overseas suppliers.

20:51Of course, if you'd like to take it up with the Cabinet...

20:53How am I to face my constituency party?

20:56Why need they know?

20:58Why need anybody know?

21:02We can see that it never gets out.

21:04Open government.

21:05That's right. Open government.

21:07If the order can't be cancelled, it must be published.

21:09That's right. It must be published.

21:11Why?

21:12Well, I...

21:13Why, Frank?

21:16The manifesto.

21:17Also, it'll make your predecessor look like a traitor.

21:19There you are.

21:20Two unanswerable reasons.

21:21Yes, but...

21:22You didn't argue for this, did you?

21:23But Charlie are not suggesting that the Minister should make a positive reference to this confidential transaction in a speech.

21:33Speech? That's it.

21:34Jim, what about that speech you're supposed to give to the Union of Office Employees?

21:39That's right, Frank. I'll tell them about this scandalous contract.

21:42And we'll release it to the press today.

21:44There.

21:44Who's running the country now, eh?

21:45Well, yes.

21:46Inject Humphrey?

21:47Well, I do think it might be regrettable, sir, if we were to upset the Americans.

21:50The Americans?

21:51It's about time they were jolted out of their commercial complacency.

21:54It's time we started thinking of the British poor, not the American rich.

21:57Right.

21:58Well, Minister, if that is your express wish, the department will back you.

22:02Up to the hilt.

22:03That is my express wish.

22:05Then I'd better circulate the speech to the relevant departments for clearance.

22:08Clearance? It's got nothing to do with any other department.

22:10But surely open government demands that we should include our colleagues as well as our friends in Fleet Street.

22:17Oh, yes. That's fair enough, Frank.

22:19Well, I'm not sure.

22:20Right, thank you, gentlemen.

22:21And Humphrey, see that that goes straight to the press, won't you?

22:25Well, it will obviously serve your best interests.

22:31Now then, let me see.

22:37Open government.

22:38As you know, we made a pledge to the people about open government.

22:42So let's have some.

22:44I have discovered that only last month,

22:47the previous government signed a contract to import 10 million pounds worth of office equipment for use by the Civil Service.

22:54Bureaucracy.

22:54Uh, used by the Civil Service bureaucracy.

22:57So, we're being fobbed off with second-rate American junk

23:00by smart-alex salesmen from Pittsburgh

23:03while British factories stand empty

23:06and British workmen queue up for the dole.

23:09Uh, unemployment...

23:10Unemployment...

23:11The dole, Bernard.

23:12Much as I personally value the friendship of our great cousins from across the sea.

23:20Excuse me, Minister, something's come up.

23:32Yes?

23:33A minute from the Prime Minister's office.

23:35I'm pretty busy.

23:35Well, I do think you ought to read this, Minister.

23:37Well, what does it say?

23:38Uh, to inform you that the PM is planning a visit to Washington next month

23:42and is anxious that the visit will result in a valuable Anglo-American defence trade agreement.

23:46The importance of obtaining this agreement cannot be overestimated.

23:49Fine.

23:50My God, has my speech gone to the press?

23:51Well, I presume so, Minister, as you request.

23:53Minister, I'm sorry to burst in like this,

23:55but all hell's just broken loose at number 10.

23:57Apparently, they've just seen your speech.

23:59They're asking why we didn't obtain clearance.

24:01What did you say?

24:01Well, I said we believe in open government,

24:03but it seemed to make things worse.

24:06The PM wants to see you in the house right away.

24:22What's going to happen?

24:25The Prime Minister giveth, and the Prime Minister taketh away.

24:29Blessed be the name of the Prime Minister.

24:50Hello, Vic.

24:51You know Sir Humphrey Appleby, Vic Gould, our Chief Whip.

24:54You really are a pain in the arse, aren't you?

24:56The PM's going up the wall.

25:00Oh?

25:01Hitting the roof.

25:02You can't go around making speeches like that.

25:04Oh, that's a weird thing.

25:05It's open government.

25:06Oh, shut up, weasel. Who's asking you?

25:08Weasel?

25:09He's right, open government.

25:10I mean, it was the main plank in our manifesto.

25:12I mean, the PM believes in that.

25:14Open, yes, but not gaping.

25:16In politics, you have to learn to say things with tact and finesse, you berk.

25:19And when you say nothing at all.

25:23How long have you been a minister?

25:25A week and a half.

25:26I think you may have earned yourself a place in the Guinness Book of Records.

25:30I can see the headlines already.

25:33Cabinet splits on US trade.

25:35Hacker leads revolt against Prime Minister.

25:38That's what you want, is it?

25:42Ah, Sir Arnold.

25:44What news?

25:45That speech is causing the Prime Minister some distress.

25:48Has he definitely been released to the press?

25:50Well, the Minister gave express instructions before noon, isn't that right?

25:55I'm appalled at you, Humphrey.

25:56How could you let the Minister put himself in this position without going through the proper channels?

26:01The Minister and I believe in open government.

26:03We want to throw open the windows and let in a bit of fresh air, isn't that right, Minister?

26:07No, Minister, it's good party stuff, but it puts the Prime Minister in a very difficult situation personally.

26:12What about our commitment to open government?

26:15This seems to be the closed season for open government.

26:19Do you want to, uh, do you want to give thought to a draft letter of resignation, Minister?

26:25I mean, just in case.

26:29Could we hush it up?

26:32Hush it up?

26:34Hush it up.

26:37Do you mean suppress it?

26:39Yes, I suppose I do.

26:41I see.

26:43You mean that within the framework of the guidelines about open government that you have laid down,

26:48you are suggesting that we should adopt a more flexible posture.

26:51Do I?

26:52Oh, yes, yes.

26:54Excuse me, Minister, about the press release.

26:55No?

26:55There appears to have been a development which could precipitate a reappraisal of our position.

26:59Oh?

27:00Apparently, we failed to rescind the interdepartmental clearance procedure.

27:04Oh.

27:04The supplementary stop order came into effect.

27:07Did it?

27:08So it's all right, Minister, your speech hasn't gone to the press.

27:11Oh, I see.

27:13It's only gone to the Prime Minister's private office and the duty officer had no instructions

27:17to pass it out without clearance from the PM and the foreign office, the American reference,

27:21you see.

27:21But how come?

27:22The fault is entirely mine, Minister.

27:25The procedure for holding up press releases dates back to before the era of open government

27:30and I unaccountably omitted to rescind it.

27:34I do hope you'll forgive this lapse.

27:37Well, yes, of course.

27:40That's quite all right, Humphrey, quite all right.

27:42Thank you, Minister.

27:43After all, we all make mistakes.

27:46Yes, Minister.

27:47Thank you, Minister.

27:55Thank you, Minister.

28:25Thank you, Minister.

Yes Minister - S01E01 - Open Government

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