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Tv, Yes Minister - S03E01 - Equal Opportunities
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00:00Thank you for listening.
00:30And so, as I said, Cathy, for whatever reason, the Prime Minister saw fit to invite one into the Cabinet, and, well, here one is.
00:50Isn't it a terrific responsibility?
00:52Well, I suppose if one chooses to dedicate one's life to public service, the service of others, responsibility is just something one has to accept.
01:00But all this power!
01:01I know, I know.
01:03Frightening sometimes.
01:05But it also makes one very humble, Cathy.
01:07There one sits, at the Cabinet table, Number 10, Downing Street, and one realises...
01:13Bernard Rang, oh, humble one.
01:15Central House wants you to watch some programme on television.
01:17BBC Two.
01:18Oh, Lord, Maureen Watkins, MP.
01:20One of the backbench MPs.
01:22Not my favourite lady.
01:23She's a rampaging feminist.
01:25I don't think I'll bother.
01:25Don't write that down.
01:27I like Maureen Watkins.
01:30Don't you think that women are still the exploited sex?
01:33All of us in 5B think that women are exploited at work, exploited at home, and still it's a world designed by men and run by men for the convenience of men.
01:44You know, like she says.
01:46Not any longer, surely.
01:48Anyway, she doesn't carry any weight in the house, thank goodness.
01:50Not in the house, perhaps.
01:52It's full of men.
01:53Thank you, Annie.
01:55Anything else you'd like to ask me, Cathy?
01:57Just one last question.
01:59As a Cabinet Minister, with all this power, what have you personally achieved?
02:04Achieved?
02:05Oh, well, all sorts of things.
02:07Membership of the Privy Council, membership of the Party Policy Committee.
02:10No, I mean things you've actually done that makes life better for other people.
02:15Makes life better?
02:16Yes.
02:18For other people?
02:20Well, there must be a number of things.
02:22After all, that's what one's job is all about, isn't it?
02:24Eighteen hours a day, seven days a week.
02:27Could you give me one or two examples, though?
02:29It makes it a bit boring otherwise.
02:31Examples?
02:33It's difficult to know where to start.
02:35So much of government is collective decisions.
02:38All of us together, best minds in the country, hammering it out.
02:42Yes, but what is it you'll look back on afterwards and say, I did that?
02:48You know, like a writer can look at his books.
02:51Government is a complex business, Cathy.
02:54So many people have to have their say.
02:56These things take time.
02:58Rome wasn't built in a day.
03:00Of course, there might...
03:01Good heavens, is that the time?
03:03I really want to bring my boxes.
03:04You'll have to excuse me, Cathy.
03:06Oh, thank you.
03:07Thank you so much.
03:09It's been such fun having this little talk.
03:10And you'll let me approve the article before you print it, won't you, as we agreed?
03:14Fine.
03:14Bye.
03:15Bye.
03:18Oh.
03:21Oh.
03:22Bright kid.
03:24That's the last interview I give for a school magazine.
03:26She asked some very difficult questions.
03:30Just innocent.
03:31She was assuming there was some moral basis to your activities.
03:35Well, there is.
03:35Oh, Jim, don't be silly.
03:37What are you sighing for?
03:43I'm not sighing.
03:49Out with it.
03:51Well, what have I achieved?
03:53She's right, isn't she?
03:54It really does make you humble.
03:56I mean, I can't get any bills through Parliament.
03:58The time's been taken up for the next two years.
04:00All right, reform the civil service.
04:02Impossible.
04:03Catch 22.
04:04Why?
04:05Well, supposing I'd be to suggest 50 terrific reforms.
04:08Who would have to implement them?
04:10The civil service.
04:12All right, I'll tell you what.
04:14Not 50 reforms.
04:16Just one.
04:17What?
04:19If you achieve one important reform of the civil service, that would be something.
04:23Get me into the Guinness Book of Records.
04:25What do you suggest?
04:26Make them put more women into top civil servants' jobs.
04:29Women are half the population.
04:31Why shouldn't they be half the permanent secretaries?
04:33How many women are there at the top?
04:35Not many.
04:37Equal opportunities.
04:40I'll have a go.
04:43After all, there's a principle at stake.
04:45You mean you're actually going to do something out of pure principle?
04:48Yes.
04:49Oh, Jim.
04:50Principles are excellent vote winners.
04:53So we don't have to do anything about this at all?
04:58No.
04:58As I say, the facts in paragraphs one and two are wrong.
05:01The other points are covered by the statutory requirements.
05:03We have no alternative.
05:04I don't have to make a decision.
05:05I don't even have to apologise.
05:08Can you do a reply for me?
05:09I've done it, actually.
05:10Well, that's fantastic.
05:12Why don't they make more under-sectaries like you?
05:15Anything else, Minister?
05:16No.
05:17Oh, no.
05:18Tell me, Sarah.
05:20How many women are there at the top of the civil service?
05:23None of the permanent secretaries.
05:25Four out of 150 deputy secretaries.
05:28And what about your grade, under-secretary?
05:29Oh, there are 27 of us.
05:31Well, that doesn't sound too bad.
05:32Out of how many?
05:33578.
05:35That's appalling.
05:37Aren't you appalled?
05:38Not really.
05:39I find it comic.
05:41But then I find most of the civil service comic.
05:45It's run by men, after all.
05:48What can you do about it?
05:49What can I do about it?
05:51Are you serious, Minister?
05:52Yes.
05:53Oh, it's easy.
05:54Bring top women from the professions, commerce and industry
05:57straight into the top grades.
05:59The pay is quite good for women.
06:00There's long holidays, index-linked pensions.
06:03You get a lot of very high-quality applicants.
06:05And they could do the job.
06:06Of course.
06:07With all due respect,
06:08if you could make a journalist MP into an instant minister,
06:12why can't you make a senior partner from a top legal firm
06:15into an under-secretary?
06:17Most of the work here only needs about two O-levels anyway.
06:22Good point.
06:24Sarah, thank you very much.
06:24Thank you, Minister.
06:25Are you rag, Minister?
06:32Oh, Bernard, Sarah, tell...
06:33Yes, Minister?
06:36I wish you'd call me Jim, at least when we're alone.
06:38Oh, I'll try to remember that, Minister.
06:41Sarah tells me that this complaint is complete nonsense.
06:43She's done a reply.
06:44Oh, fine.
06:45So we can CGSM it?
06:47CGSM?
06:47Civil Service Code, Minister.
06:50It stands for
06:50Consignment of Geriatric Shoe Manufacturers.
06:54A load of old cobblers.
06:58I'm not a civil servant.
07:00I shall use my own code.
07:01I shall write
07:02round objects.
07:04You wanted a word about staffing?
07:12Yes, Humphrey.
07:13Morning, Bernard.
07:15I have made a policy decision.
07:17I'm going to...
07:18I'm going to do something
07:20about the number of women in the civil service.
07:22Oh, surely there aren't all that many.
07:25You can't get my point, Humphrey.
07:27The Minister thinks we need more, sir.
07:29Many more.
07:30More?
07:31Oh.
07:32Well, we're actually quite well up to establishment
07:34on typists and cleaners and tea ladies.
07:36Any ideas, Bernard?
07:38We are a bit short on temporary secretaries.
07:40I'm talking about permanent secretaries.
07:46We need some female mandarins.
07:48Sort of Satsumas, maybe.
07:52Sit down, would you, Bernard?
07:54How many permanent secretaries are there at the moment?
07:57Er, 41, I believe.
07:58And how many of those are women?
08:00Well, broadly speaking,
08:01not having the exact figures to hand,
08:04I'm not exactly sure.
08:05Well, approximately.
08:06Well, approximately none.
08:09None.
08:10And I understand there are about 150 deputy secretaries.
08:13Do you know how many of those are women?
08:14Well, it's difficult to say.
08:16Why?
08:17There's a lot of women among the men.
08:21Four.
08:22Are there really?
08:24I am going to announce a quota of 25% women deputy secretaries
08:28and permanent secretaries
08:29to be achieved within the next four years.
08:32Now, wait a minute, Minister.
08:33Why?
08:34Well, I'm obviously in total sympathy with your objectives.
08:37Obviously.
08:37Of course we must have more women at the top.
08:40Of course.
08:41And all of us are deeply concerned by this apparent imbalance.
08:44But these things take time.
08:47I want to make a start straight away.
08:48I agree wholeheartedly.
08:50And I propose we make an immediate start
08:52by setting up an interdepartmental committee
08:54and forming the...
08:55No, no, no, no, no.
08:56No, no, no.
08:56That's not what I meant.
08:57And you know it.
08:58I don't want the usual delaying tactics.
09:00This needs a sledgehammer.
09:01We must cut through the red tape.
09:03No, you can't cut tape with a sledgehammer, Minister.
09:07Oh, now, Minister,
09:08you do me an injustice.
09:10I was not about to suggest delaying tactics.
09:12Oh, sorry.
09:13Oh, that's all right, Minister.
09:14I was about to suggest that if we are to have a 25% quota of women,
09:18we need a much larger intake at the recruitment stage
09:21so that eventually there will be 25% in the top jobs.
09:24When?
09:25In 25 years.
09:27No.
09:27You haven't got quite my drift.
09:29I mean now.
09:33Oh.
09:34You mean now?
09:35Got it in one, Humphrey.
09:38Minister, it takes time to do things now.
09:42For three articles of civil service faith,
09:44it takes longer to do things quickly,
09:46it's more expensive to do them cheaply,
09:48and it's more democratic to do them in secret.
09:50No.
09:51I have suggested four years,
09:53and I think that's masses of time.
09:54Oh, dear me, no.
09:57I don't mean political time.
09:59I mean real time.
10:01Civil servants are grown like...
10:04like oak trees.
10:05Not mustard and cress.
10:07They bloom and ripen with the seasons.
10:12They mature like...
10:13like...
10:14Like yourself.
10:16Well, I was about to say like an old port.
10:19Like Grimsby, perhaps.
10:20Yes, I was being serious, Minister.
10:26Yes, I foresaw this problem,
10:28and I propose we solve it
10:29by bringing in top women from outside the service
10:32to fill vacancies in the top jobs.
10:35I...
10:36I don't think I quite understood.
10:39Watch my mouth, Humphrey.
10:41We will bring in women from outside.
10:45But the whole strength of the system
10:46is that it is incorruptible,
10:48pure and unsullied by outside influences.
10:50People move from job to job throughout industry.
10:52Why should the civil service be different?
10:53Well, the civil service is different.
10:55It demands subtlety.
10:56Discretion.
10:57Devotion to duty.
10:58Soundness.
10:59Soundness.
11:00Well said, Bernard.
11:02Civil servants require endless patience
11:04and boundless understanding.
11:07They need to be able and willing
11:08to change horses midstream
11:09as the politicians change
11:11what they are pleased to call their minds.
11:13And you have all these talents, Humphrey.
11:15Well, it is just that one has been properly, um...
11:18Matured, like Grimsby.
11:20Strange.
11:21No, Humphrey.
11:22Ask yourself seriously.
11:23If there isn't something wrong with the system,
11:25why are there so few women deputy secretaries?
11:27Well, they keep leaving to have babies and things.
11:29Babies at the age of nearly 50, surely not?
11:31Well, I don't know, Minister.
11:32Really, I don't.
11:33I'm on your side.
11:34We really do need more women at the top.
11:35Good, because I'm not waiting 25 years.
11:38There's a vacancy of a deputy secretary
11:39in this department, isn't there?
11:41Yes.
11:42I shall appoint a woman.
11:43Sarah Harrison.
11:45Sarah Harrison?
11:46I think she's very able, don't you?
11:48Very able for a woman, for a person.
11:49A very able person.
11:51But she has ideas.
11:52She is an original thinker.
11:53Yes, I'm afraid that's true,
11:54but she doesn't let it interfere with her work.
11:57What have you got against her?
11:58Nothing.
11:59I think she's quite excellent.
12:01I'm a great supporter of hers.
12:03I advocated her promotion last year
12:05to under-secretary at a very early age.
12:07Would you agree that she is an outstanding under-secretary?
12:10Yes.
12:11So, on balance, it is a good idea.
12:13On balance, yes and no.
12:16It's not a very clear answer, Humphrey.
12:18It's a balanced answer.
12:20The point is that she's too young,
12:22and it's not her turn.
12:24I knew you'd say that.
12:25This is exactly what is wrong with the civil service.
12:28Buggins' turn.
12:29The best people should be promoted,
12:31and as soon as possible.
12:32Exactly.
12:33As soon as it's their turn.
12:34Not so.
12:36Napoleon ruled Europe when he was in his thirties.
12:39Alexander the Great conquered the world in his twenties.
12:41They would have made very poor deputy secretaries.
12:44Well, at least they didn't wait their turn.
12:45And look what happened to them.
12:47And look what's happened to us.
12:49Instead of being run by a lot of young, able, energetic men,
12:53this country is being run by tired, cynical 55-year-olds
12:56who just want a quiet life.
12:59Had you anyone specific in your life?
13:02Yes and no, gentlemen.
13:08Madam Minister, Sarah Harrison is an excellent civil servant,
13:13and a bright hope for the future.
13:14But she is our most junior under-secretary,
13:17and I cannot and will not recommend her promotion to deputy secretary.
13:20I think you're a sexist.
13:21Oh!
13:22Minister, how could you say that?
13:24They're very pro-women.
13:26Wonderful people, women.
13:29And Sarah Harrison is a dear lady.
13:31I'm one of her greatest admirers.
13:33But if the cause of women is to be advanced,
13:35it must be done with care, tact and discretion.
13:39She is our only woman contender for a top job.
13:43We mustn't push her too fast.
13:45Women find top jobs very difficult, you man.
13:47Can you hear yourself?
13:49Minister, if women were able to be good permanent secretaries,
13:52there would be more of them, wouldn't there?
13:54Stands to reason.
13:55No, Humphrey.
13:56I'm not anti-feminist.
13:57I love women.
13:59Some of my best friends are women.
14:01Um, my wife, indeed.
14:07But Sarah Harrison is as yet very inexperienced.
14:10And her children are still of school age.
14:12They might get mumps.
14:14You might get shingles, come to that, Humphrey.
14:15I might indeed, Minister, if you continue in this vein.
14:19What if her children caused her to miss work all the time?
14:21Oh, is it likely?
14:22Would she have reached the rank of under-secretary
14:23if her children kept having mumps?
14:25No, she's the best person for the job.
14:26Now, Minister, if you're going to promote women
14:28just because they're the best person for the job
14:29you will create a lot of resentment
14:31throughout the whole of the society.
14:33Not from the women in it, anyway.
14:35Well, that hardly matters, does it?
14:39Hardly matters, Humphrey.
14:42There are so few of them.
14:48I've tried to tell him that women are different,
14:50but he can't grasp it.
14:52They put such strains on a team.
14:55They react differently.
14:56They're so emotional, not rational, like us.
14:59Yeah.
15:00It's hopeless when you tell them off.
15:01Either they get into a frightful bait
15:04or they start blubbing.
15:05If they're not the sort who blub,
15:07they become frightfully hard and butch
15:09and not the least bit attractive.
15:12And they're full of prejudices.
15:14Make silly generalisations.
15:17Think in stereotypes.
15:19Hmm.
15:21Arnold, what do you think I should do?
15:23I can only suggest that you lecture him
15:26at such length on the matter
15:27that he becomes bored
15:28and loses interest in the whole idea.
15:30Yeah, that's might work.
15:32Mind you, he doesn't get bored easily.
15:34I mean, he even finds himself interesting.
15:37They all do.
15:38All the ones who listen to what they're saying, that is.
15:40Not many of those.
15:43Well, the standard second ploy
15:44is to tell him the unions won't wear it.
15:47Well, they'd like it.
15:48That's beside the point, Humphrey.
15:50Oh, yes, sorry.
15:52And then, what does his wife think about all this?
15:55Well, I gather that she's in favour
15:56of promoting this Harrison female.
15:57In fact, she may be behind it.
15:59I see.
16:01Does she know that Sarah Harrison
16:03is rather attractive?
16:05No, I don't think they've ever met.
16:11Good idea.
16:13Anyway, we must mobilise the Cabinet
16:15against this quota nonsense.
16:17Well, the Cabinet will be in favour of it.
16:19I think we can get them to change their minds.
16:21They change their minds fairly easily.
16:23Eh, just like a lot of women.
16:24Thank God they don't blub.
16:30Minister,
16:31I have come to the conclusion
16:33that you were right.
16:37Are you being serious, Humphrey?
16:38Yes, indeed, Minister.
16:39Minister, I am fully seized of your ideas
16:41and I have taken them on board.
16:43And I am now positively against
16:45discrimination against women
16:46and positively in favour
16:47of positive discrimination in their favour.
16:49Discriminating discrimination, of course.
16:52Yes, I think I've got that.
16:54Now, I understand that a view
16:55is being formed at the very highest level
16:57that this should happen.
16:58Good.
16:59However,
17:00there is a problem about the quota.
17:03Do you mind if I sit down?
17:05The unions won't wear it.
17:07No, no.
17:08Well, let's have them in
17:09and we'll talk about it.
17:10Eh, oh, no, no, Minister.
17:12That would just stir up
17:14a hornet's nest, wouldn't it?
17:15Why?
17:17Well, if I might suggest
17:19that we be realistic about this.
17:22By realistic,
17:24you mean drop the whole scheme?
17:25Oh, dearly, no.
17:27But perhaps a pause to regroup.
17:30A lull in which to reassess the situation
17:32and discuss alternative strategies.
17:34A space of time
17:35for mature reflection and deliberation.
17:38Yes, you mean drop the whole scheme.
17:41No, Humphrey.
17:42I have set my hand to the plough.
17:43I have made a decision.
17:45We shall have a 25% quota of women
17:47in the open structure
17:47within the next four years
17:49and to make a start,
17:50I shall appoint Sarah Harrison as depth set.
17:52No, Minister, I promise you
17:53that is the wrong decision.
17:54Principal Humphrey.
17:55Principal.
17:55I'll have a word
17:57with my Cabinet colleagues.
17:58I'm sure they'll support me.
18:00A lot of votes in women's rights.
18:02Votes, Minister?
18:03I thought you said
18:03it was a matter of principle.
18:08For me, Humphrey, for me.
18:10I was talking about them.
18:12Yes, sir.
18:13Oh, Mrs Hackers here, Minister.
18:15Ah, send her in, will you?
18:16Could she come in?
18:17Could you sign the letters
18:19before you go, Minister?
18:20Oh, hello, darling.
18:21Get Humphrey to give you a drink.
18:22A sherry, dear lady.
18:23Thank you, Humphrey.
18:24You remember that letter you wrote,
18:26Round Object Song?
18:27Oh, yes.
18:28It's come back from Sir Humphrey's office.
18:29He's commented on it.
18:30What do you say?
18:32Who is round and to what does he object?
18:34Yes, of course, it's a slow business
18:43changing the civil service, you know.
18:45What about promoting this woman
18:46Jim was talking about?
18:48Oh, yes, well,
18:49your husband certainly has an eye for talent
18:51and our sir is very talented
18:53and quite delightful, real charmer, cheers.
18:55Really?
18:56You know, I very much admire
18:58this new generation of women civil servants
19:01compared to the old battle exes, I remember.
19:03Of course, they're not all as beautiful as Sarah,
19:07but they do manage to keep their femininity.
19:12Jim never discussed what she looks like.
19:14Oh, well, perhaps he hasn't noticed.
19:17I must say, I find that rather hard to believe.
19:19After all, he does spend a lot of time with her
19:21and even more.
19:23If she's promoted, shall we sit down?
19:25And so, gentlemen,
19:29my minister is set on creating a quota of 25% women
19:33in the open structure,
19:34leading to an eventual 50%.
19:36Parity, I see.
19:37Yes.
19:39Well, I must say that it seems right and proper to me
19:41that men and women be treated fairly and equally,
19:44and I think I speak for all of us
19:45when I say that we all feel that, in principle,
19:48there should be such targets set and goals achieved.
19:51Well, Mr. Chairman, I'm fully in favour of this idea.
19:57We must have some positive discrimination
19:59in favour of women.
20:01Of course, it wouldn't work with the Foreign and Colworth office
20:03for obvious reasons.
20:04I mean, we couldn't post women ambassadors to Iran
20:06or any of the Muslim nations.
20:07Most of the third world are not so advanced
20:11as we are in connection with women's rights,
20:13and as we have to send diplomats to new postings
20:16every three years,
20:18this idea is obviously not for us,
20:20but I do applaud the principle.
20:24Yes, me too.
20:25I'm all in favour of it.
20:26I think we need the feminine touch.
20:29Women are better at handling some problems than men,
20:31no doubt about it.
20:33Of course, we would have to make an exception
20:35as far as the Home Office is concerned.
20:37And women are not the right people
20:39to run prisons or the police.
20:41And quite probably, they wouldn't want to do it anyway.
20:44But you do agree with the principle?
20:46Oh, yes, no question.
20:48Peter?
20:49Well, yes, the same applies to defence.
20:52Alas, all those admirals and generals.
20:55And it wouldn't be possible, of course,
20:56to appoint a woman as head of security, for instance.
21:00M would have to become F.
21:01Yes, defence is clearly a man's world,
21:07like industry and employment.
21:09All those trade union leaders.
21:12But what about the DHSS, John?
21:15Well, I'm happy to say that women are well represented
21:17near the top of the DHSS.
21:19After all, we have two of the four deputy secretaries
21:22currently in Whitehall.
21:23Not eligible for permanent secretary, of course,
21:27because they're deputy chief medical officers
21:29and I'm not sure they're really suitable.
21:32No, no, that's unfair.
21:33Of course, women are 80% of our clerical staff
21:36and 99% of the typing grade,
21:38so we're not doing too badly by the market.
21:41And in principle, I'm in favour of them going to the very top.
21:44Good, good.
21:45Well, I think the feeling of the meeting is, in principle,
21:48that we're all thoroughly in favour of equal rights for the ladies.
21:52It's just that there are certain special problems
21:54in individual departments.
21:57Now, what about this question of the quota?
22:00Frankly, I must tell you that I'm against it.
22:01Very, it's not a deal.
22:02Politicians, I know.
22:04We must, in my view,
22:05always have the right to promote the best man for the job,
22:09regardless of sex.
22:10Nervous.
22:10Speaking as an ardent feminist myself,
22:15I think that the problem lies
22:17in recruiting the right sort of women.
22:20Married women with families tend to drop out,
22:22because, in all honesty,
22:23they cannot give their work
22:24their full single-minded attention.
22:26And unmarried women with no children
22:28are not fully rounded people
22:30with a thorough understanding of life.
22:34So that in practice,
22:35it's really possible to find a fully rounded married woman
22:38with a happy home and three children
22:40who's prepared to devote her whole life,
22:43or virtually her whole life,
22:44to a department.
22:45It's catch-22, really.
22:47Well, catch-22, subparagraph A.
22:52Yes, I think we must ensure
22:53that our respective ministers
22:55oppose this quota idea in Cabinet
22:57by drawing our own minister's attention
22:59to each department's own special problems.
23:02But we will, of course,
23:03recommend the principle of equal opportunities
23:06at every level.
23:08Yes.
23:09May I say just one more thing?
23:11Through the chair,
23:12I'd like to add that my minister
23:13also sees the promotion of women
23:14as a means of creating greater diversity
23:17at the top of the service.
23:19I think we should stress
23:21when briefing our ministers
23:22that, quite frankly,
23:24you couldn't find
23:25a more diverse lot than us.
23:27Absolutely.
23:29A real cross-section of the nation.
23:31Yes.
23:36Go on, minister.
23:38How was Cabinet?
23:41A bit odd, actually.
23:43Why?
23:44We were talking about the top jobs quota
23:45for women in the civil service.
23:47Was it agreed?
23:49Well, that's what's so odd.
23:50They all agreed in principle,
23:52but then they all said
23:53that it wouldn't work
23:53in their own particular departments.
23:56It didn't support me at all, really.
23:58Extraordinary.
23:59There's another thing.
24:00I'm not getting the support
24:01from Annie that I did.
24:02Really?
24:03What about this quota?
24:05Well, about promoting Sarah.
24:06You'd think she'd be 100% behind it.
24:08Well, indeed you would.
24:09She goes all sort of distant
24:10when I mentioned it.
24:12Dead against it, no.
24:14Even more extraordinary.
24:16Oh, well, seems there anything left.
24:19Something I can achieve?
24:20Yes, indeed, minister.
24:22Shall I ask Mrs. Harrison to come in?
24:24Right.
24:25Bernard, would you be kind enough?
24:27At least it is something
24:28I can say I have done.
24:30Eh, Humphrey?
24:30Yes, indeed, minister.
24:32Lighting a spark?
24:33Carrying a torch, even.
24:37Ah, Sarah.
24:39Do us it down.
24:41Humphrey?
24:41Thank you, minister.
24:42Sarah, as you know,
24:45there is a vacancy
24:46for a deputy secretary
24:47in this department.
24:48And in spite of the fact
24:49that you are the most junior
24:50of our undersecretaries,
24:51but because you are
24:52the outstanding person
24:53in your grade,
24:54Sir Humphrey and I
24:55have decided to recommend you
24:56for a promotion
24:57to the grade
24:57of deputy secretary.
24:59Oh, I don't know what to say.
25:04There's no need to say anything.
25:06A single thank you should suppose.
25:10No, well, I mean, oh, gosh, look,
25:14this is awfully embarrassing.
25:16I mean, well, I was going to tell you this week.
25:19The fact is I'm resigning
25:20from the civil service.
25:25Resigning?
25:26Yes.
25:27So, thank you,
25:28but no thank you.
25:31Some problem at home,
25:32is it, with your children?
25:34Mumps.
25:37No, I'm joining a merchant bank
25:39as a director.
25:41Sarah,
25:41I won't conceal from you
25:44the fact that this is a blow.
25:46You see, the reason why
25:47Humphrey and I have decided
25:48to recommend you
25:48for this promotion
25:49is that I've been fighting
25:50a losing battle
25:51to improve the promotion prospects
25:52for women at the top
25:53of the civil service
25:54and you were to be my,
25:56well, so to speak,
25:57Trojan horse.
25:59Well, quite honestly, Minister,
26:02I want a job
26:02where I don't spend
26:03endless hours
26:04circulating information
26:05that isn't relevant
26:06about subjects that don't matter
26:07to people who aren't interested.
26:11I want a job
26:12where there's achievement
26:13rather than merely activity.
26:16I'm tired of pushing paper.
26:17I want to be able
26:18to point to something
26:19and say,
26:20I did that.
26:21I don't understand.
26:25I know.
26:26That's why I'm leaving.
26:28Surely you're not saying
26:29that the government of Britain
26:30is unimportant.
26:31No, it's very important.
26:34It's just that I haven't met
26:34anyone who's doing it.
26:38Also,
26:39I've had enough
26:40of the pointless intrigue.
26:42Intrigue?
26:43Oh, you know
26:44the sort of thing.
26:45Like this
26:46women's rights nonsense.
26:48You're using me
26:49as a Trojan horse,
26:50for instance.
26:51They probably told you
26:52the unions wouldn't wear it
26:53if you promoted me.
26:55How did you know that?
26:56I didn't know.
26:57I just know
26:58how things are done here.
27:01Sarah,
27:01you probably don't realise this,
27:02but I've fought
27:03quite a battle for you.
27:04Oh, have you?
27:05I didn't ask you
27:06to fight a battle for me.
27:08I'm not pleased
27:09of being part
27:10of a 25% quota.
27:12Women are not
27:13inferior beings,
27:14and I don't enjoy
27:15being patronised.
27:17I'm afraid
27:18you're just as paternalist
27:20and chauvinist
27:21as the rest of them.
27:23I'm going somewhere
27:24where I shall be accepted
27:25on my own merits,
27:26as an equal,
27:27as a person.
27:28You can't win,
27:29can you?
27:31May I go now?
27:33Yes, of course.
27:34And I'm sorry
27:37I offended you.
27:39I can't remember
27:40how I did,
27:40if I did.
27:41No.
27:42And thank you.
27:44I know you both
27:45mean well.
27:56Women.
27:59Yes, minister.
Recommended
29:43
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