A Victory for Democracy
Encyclopedia
“A Victory for Democracy” is the sixth episode of the BBC
comedy series Yes, Prime Minister
and was first broadcast 13 February 1986.
has been criticised by the American
ambassador over Britain’s proposed defence policy, which involves the cancellation of Trident
. In addition, it was mentioned to the Prime Minister
that there was a problem with St. George’s Island (situated in the Indian Ocean
, but within the Commonwealth
). The US is concerned that it could be subject to a Communist
takeover, and the ambassador threatened various sanctions if this takes place. The PM is to meet the Foreign Secretary
to discuss it.
Sir Humphrey Appleby
, the Cabinet Secretary
, is meeting with Sir Richard Wharton, Permanent Secretary
to the Foreign Office
. The latter is troubled that the PM is starting to distrust civil service
advice and is beginning to formulate his own foreign policy, with an eye to keeping the White House
happy. Sir Richard fills Sir Humphrey in on the St. George’s difficulties, and informs him that as the potential coup d’état
could be executed by a group of Soviet- and Libya
n-backed Marxist
guerrillas with assistance from East Yemen, the Foreign Office wishes to steer well clear of the situation. Sir Richard also warns Sir Humphrey of a United Nations
motion by the Arab
s, condemning Israel
. Ordinarily, the UK
would vote alongside them, but Hacker is apparently planning to rock the boat.
The PM meets with his Foreign Secretary. It transpires that both are in the dark over St. George’s Island and Hacker instructs the Minister to start asking questions of his officials. As regards the UN vote, the PM wishes to side with the Americans and abstain. However, the Foreign Secretary advises against this, as “the Foreign Office wouldn’t wear it.”
Later on, Hacker summons Sir Humphrey to the Cabinet Room and confesses that he is worried. He tells him that he needs to keep in with the Americans if he is going to cancel his defence order, and that Britain should be ready to defend St. George’s Island if the need arises. Sir Humphrey agrees with him that foreign affairs are a complicated business…which is why they are usually left to the Foreign Office. When Hacker asks if Britain should always support law and justice, the Cabinet Secretary replies in the affirmative—as long as it doesn’t affect the government’s foreign policy. All he can recommend is that the PM talks to his Foreign Secretary. Since nobody seems particularly sure where St. George’s Island actually is, Bernard
suggests that he and the PM consult the globe in the Private Office. While they do, an obsequious civil servant named Luke takes an interest. Bernard convinces Hacker to continue their conversation back in the Cabinet Room. He warns the PM that Luke is a Foreign Office official, and is therefore its “man in Number 10
” and is not to be trusted. Bernard also (eventually) makes it clear that there are plenty of things that the Foreign Office keeps from the PM.
Sir Humphrey and Sir Richard once again meet in the Cabinet Office. Bernard joins them and asks what it is that the PM doesn’t know. Sir Humphrey admits that he hardly knows where to begin, but in respect of foreign policy, it is undesirable for politicians to become involved. This is apparently largely due to their ignorance, and he and Sir Richard engage Bernard in a geography quiz. Since he is unable to answer a single question, Sir Humphrey advises that he should stand for Parliament
. The two mandarins point out that as far as the public is concerned, foreign policy comes down to knowing the “goodies” from the “baddies”, and since sometimes the government has to deal commercially with the latter, such information is kept inside the Foreign Office, with its own policy communicated to the Foreign Secretary for outside consumption. They are interrupted by a telegram, stating that East Yemen is about to invade St. George’s in support of the guerrillas. Sir Richard is adamant that Britain will give the island “every support, short of help”, much to Bernard’s disgust. Sir Humphrey accuses the Principal Private Secretary
of “acting like a politician”.
Meanwhile, Luke delivers the PM’s Foreign Office red boxes
. He persuades Hacker that the troop movements in East Yemen are nothing to worry about. However, Hacker is enraged that the Foreign Office has ignored his instructions and voted against Israel at the UN. Luke protests that there were developments that couldn’t be communicated in time, so they took the advice of Britain’s UN ambassador instead. Nevertheless, Hacker wishes to see the Israeli ambassador. When Luke’s counsel is tantamount to a refusal, the PM has to resort to giving him private reasons to ensure his co-operation. That is, Hacker said they were at the London School of Economics
together, and Hacker wanted advice for his daughter who was travelling to Israel.
Hacker meets the Israeli ambassador at his flat, and they indeed seem to know each other. The PM is told not to worry over the UN vote, as such things are par for the course. However, the ambassador does have news for Hacker from Israeli intelligence that East Yemen is poised to invade St. George’s Island. In addition, the Americans are ready to support the islanders in battle. Hacker is horrified that he knows nothing about it, but eventually finds an FO assessment buried in one of his red boxes. The ambassador offers Hacker some advice. Britain has an airborne battalion in Germany
: if it is diverted to St. George’s, then East Yemen will be unlikely to invade. The PM arranges for it to make a “goodwill visit”.
The next morning, Sir Humphrey chides the PM for his action, telling him that it may be construed as “provocative”. Luke arrives with the Foreign Office telegrams, and Hacker is praised for his intervention. Sir Humphrey is unimpressed, and demands to know where the idea came from. The PM tells him that it came from Luke, contained within his “masterly situation report”. Hacker rewards the civil servant with a posting as Britain’s ambassador to Israel
, which makes him distraught since the Israelis "know I'm on the Arabs' side", and thus his career is over.
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
comedy series Yes, Prime Minister
Yes Minister
Yes Minister is a satirical British sitcom written by Antony Jay and Jonathan Lynn that was first transmitted by BBC Television between 1980–1982 and 1984, split over three seven-episode series. The sequel, Yes, Prime Minister, ran from 1986 to 1988. In total there were 38 episodes—of which all but...
and was first broadcast 13 February 1986.
Plot
Jim HackerJames Hacker
James George Hacker, Baron Hacker of Islington, KG, PC, B. Sc. , Hon. D. C. L. was a fictional British politician. He was the Minister of the fictional Department of Administrative Affairs, and later the Prime Minister, in the 1980s British sitcom Yes Minister and its sequel, Yes, Prime Minister...
has been criticised by the American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
ambassador over Britain’s proposed defence policy, which involves the cancellation of Trident
Trident missile
The Trident missile is a submarine-launched ballistic missile equipped with multiple independently-targetable reentry vehicles . The Fleet Ballistic Missile is armed with nuclear warheads and is launched from nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines . Trident missiles are carried by fourteen...
. In addition, it was mentioned to the Prime Minister
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
that there was a problem with St. George’s Island (situated in the Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...
, but within the Commonwealth
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
). The US is concerned that it could be subject to a Communist
Communist state
A communist state is a state with a form of government characterized by single-party rule or dominant-party rule of a communist party and a professed allegiance to a Leninist or Marxist-Leninist communist ideology as the guiding principle of the state...
takeover, and the ambassador threatened various sanctions if this takes place. The PM is to meet the Foreign Secretary
Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs
The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, commonly referred to as the Foreign Secretary, is a senior member of Her Majesty's Government heading the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and regarded as one of the Great Offices of State...
to discuss it.
Sir Humphrey Appleby
Humphrey Appleby
Sir Humphrey Appleby, GCB, KBE, MVO, MA , is a fictional character from the British television series Yes, Minister and Yes, Prime Minister. He was played by Sir Nigel Hawthorne. In Yes Minister, he is the Permanent Secretary for the Department of Administrative Affairs...
, the Cabinet Secretary
Cabinet Secretary
A Cabinet Secretary is almost always a senior official who provides services and advice to a Cabinet of Ministers. In many countries, the position can have considerably wider functions and powers, including general responsibility for the entire civil service...
, is meeting with Sir Richard Wharton, Permanent Secretary
Permanent Secretary
The Permanent secretary, in most departments officially titled the permanent under-secretary of state , is the most senior civil servant of a British Government ministry, charged with running the department on a day-to-day basis...
to the Foreign Office
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office, commonly called the Foreign Office or the FCO is a British government department responsible for promoting the interests of the United Kingdom overseas, created in 1968 by merging the Foreign Office and the Commonwealth Office.The head of the FCO is the...
. The latter is troubled that the PM is starting to distrust civil service
British Civil Service
Her Majesty's Home Civil Service, also known as the Home Civil Service, is the permanent bureaucracy of Crown employees that supports Her Majesty's Government - the government of the United Kingdom, composed of a Cabinet of ministers chosen by the prime minister, as well as the devolved...
advice and is beginning to formulate his own foreign policy, with an eye to keeping the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
happy. Sir Richard fills Sir Humphrey in on the St. George’s difficulties, and informs him that as the potential coup d’état
Coup d'état
A coup d'état state, literally: strike/blow of state)—also known as a coup, putsch, and overthrow—is the sudden, extrajudicial deposition of a government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishment—typically the military—to replace the deposed government with another body; either...
could be executed by a group of Soviet- and Libya
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
n-backed Marxist
Marxism
Marxism is an economic and sociopolitical worldview and method of socioeconomic inquiry that centers upon a materialist interpretation of history, a dialectical view of social change, and an analysis and critique of the development of capitalism. Marxism was pioneered in the early to mid 19th...
guerrillas with assistance from East Yemen, the Foreign Office wishes to steer well clear of the situation. Sir Richard also warns Sir Humphrey of a United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
motion by the Arab
Arab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
s, condemning Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
. Ordinarily, the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
would vote alongside them, but Hacker is apparently planning to rock the boat.
The PM meets with his Foreign Secretary. It transpires that both are in the dark over St. George’s Island and Hacker instructs the Minister to start asking questions of his officials. As regards the UN vote, the PM wishes to side with the Americans and abstain. However, the Foreign Secretary advises against this, as “the Foreign Office wouldn’t wear it.”
Later on, Hacker summons Sir Humphrey to the Cabinet Room and confesses that he is worried. He tells him that he needs to keep in with the Americans if he is going to cancel his defence order, and that Britain should be ready to defend St. George’s Island if the need arises. Sir Humphrey agrees with him that foreign affairs are a complicated business…which is why they are usually left to the Foreign Office. When Hacker asks if Britain should always support law and justice, the Cabinet Secretary replies in the affirmative—as long as it doesn’t affect the government’s foreign policy. All he can recommend is that the PM talks to his Foreign Secretary. Since nobody seems particularly sure where St. George’s Island actually is, Bernard
Bernard Woolley
Sir Bernard Woolley GCB is one of the three main fictional characters of the 1980s British sitcom Yes Minister and its sequel, Yes, Prime Minister. He was portrayed by Derek Fowlds.-Character:...
suggests that he and the PM consult the globe in the Private Office. While they do, an obsequious civil servant named Luke takes an interest. Bernard convinces Hacker to continue their conversation back in the Cabinet Room. He warns the PM that Luke is a Foreign Office official, and is therefore its “man in Number 10
10 Downing Street
10 Downing Street, colloquially known in the United Kingdom as "Number 10", is the headquarters of Her Majesty's Government and the official residence and office of the First Lord of the Treasury, who is now always the Prime Minister....
” and is not to be trusted. Bernard also (eventually) makes it clear that there are plenty of things that the Foreign Office keeps from the PM.
Sir Humphrey and Sir Richard once again meet in the Cabinet Office. Bernard joins them and asks what it is that the PM doesn’t know. Sir Humphrey admits that he hardly knows where to begin, but in respect of foreign policy, it is undesirable for politicians to become involved. This is apparently largely due to their ignorance, and he and Sir Richard engage Bernard in a geography quiz. Since he is unable to answer a single question, Sir Humphrey advises that he should stand for Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
. The two mandarins point out that as far as the public is concerned, foreign policy comes down to knowing the “goodies” from the “baddies”, and since sometimes the government has to deal commercially with the latter, such information is kept inside the Foreign Office, with its own policy communicated to the Foreign Secretary for outside consumption. They are interrupted by a telegram, stating that East Yemen is about to invade St. George’s in support of the guerrillas. Sir Richard is adamant that Britain will give the island “every support, short of help”, much to Bernard’s disgust. Sir Humphrey accuses the Principal Private Secretary
Principal Private Secretary
In the British Civil Service and Australian Public Service the Principal Private Secretary is the civil servant who runs a cabinet minister's private office...
of “acting like a politician”.
Meanwhile, Luke delivers the PM’s Foreign Office red boxes
Red box (government)
The term "Red box" informally refers to a ministerial box used by ministers in the British government to carry their documents. Similar in appearance to a briefcase, they are primarily used to hold and transport official departmental papers from place to place.-Ministerial box:The design of...
. He persuades Hacker that the troop movements in East Yemen are nothing to worry about. However, Hacker is enraged that the Foreign Office has ignored his instructions and voted against Israel at the UN. Luke protests that there were developments that couldn’t be communicated in time, so they took the advice of Britain’s UN ambassador instead. Nevertheless, Hacker wishes to see the Israeli ambassador. When Luke’s counsel is tantamount to a refusal, the PM has to resort to giving him private reasons to ensure his co-operation. That is, Hacker said they were at the London School of Economics
London School of Economics
The London School of Economics and Political Science is a public research university specialised in the social sciences located in London, United Kingdom, and a constituent college of the federal University of London...
together, and Hacker wanted advice for his daughter who was travelling to Israel.
Hacker meets the Israeli ambassador at his flat, and they indeed seem to know each other. The PM is told not to worry over the UN vote, as such things are par for the course. However, the ambassador does have news for Hacker from Israeli intelligence that East Yemen is poised to invade St. George’s Island. In addition, the Americans are ready to support the islanders in battle. Hacker is horrified that he knows nothing about it, but eventually finds an FO assessment buried in one of his red boxes. The ambassador offers Hacker some advice. Britain has an airborne battalion in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
: if it is diverted to St. George’s, then East Yemen will be unlikely to invade. The PM arranges for it to make a “goodwill visit”.
The next morning, Sir Humphrey chides the PM for his action, telling him that it may be construed as “provocative”. Luke arrives with the Foreign Office telegrams, and Hacker is praised for his intervention. Sir Humphrey is unimpressed, and demands to know where the idea came from. The PM tells him that it came from Luke, contained within his “masterly situation report”. Hacker rewards the civil servant with a posting as Britain’s ambassador to Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
, which makes him distraught since the Israelis "know I'm on the Arabs' side", and thus his career is over.
Episode cast
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Paul Eddington Paul Eddington Paul Eddington CBE was an English actor best known for his appearances in popular television sitcoms of the 1970s and 80s: The Good Life, Yes Minister and Yes, Prime Minister.-Early life:... |
Jim Hacker |
| Nigel Hawthorne Nigel Hawthorne Sir Nigel Barnard Hawthorne, CBE was an English actor, perhaps best remembered for his role as Sir Humphrey Appleby, the Permanent Secretary in the 1980s sitcom Yes Minister and the Cabinet Secretary in its sequel, Yes, Prime Minister. For this role he won four BAFTA Awards during the 1980s in the... |
Sir Humphrey Appleby |
| Derek Fowlds Derek Fowlds Derek Fowlds is an English actor, known for playing Bernard Woolley in popular British television comedies Yes, Minister and Yes, Prime Minister and Oscar Blaketon in the long-running ITV police drama Heartbeat.... |
Bernard Woolley |
| Clive Francis Clive Francis -Early life:He is the son of actors Raymond Francis and Margaret Towner. He was born in Eastbourne.His father played Detective Chief Superintendent Tom Lockhart in the 1960s series No Hiding Place and his mother still acts today - most recently she played Jira, Anakin Skywalker's friend, in Star... |
Luke |
| Ronald Hines Ronald Hines Ronald Hines is a British television actor.He has had a lengthy career, but possibly his best known role was as the husband in three of the four series of Not in Front of the Children... |
Foreign Secretary |
| Donald Pickering Donald Pickering Donald Ellis Pickering was an English actor.Pickering had appeared in many television, film and radio roles... |
Sir Richard Wharton |
| David de Keyser David de Keyser David de Keyser is a British actor. He is the father of Alexei de Keyser, Pia de Keyser and Thomas de Keyser.In the mid-sixties de Keyser worked twice with the writer, actor and director Jane Arden. Their first collaboration, The Logic Game, was the first BBC drama to be shot on film; it was... |
Israeli Ambassador |
Quote
Satirical reference
- This episode was inspired by the 1983 invasion of GrenadaGrenadaGrenada is an island country and Commonwealth Realm consisting of the island of Grenada and six smaller islands at the southern end of the Grenadines in the southeastern Caribbean Sea...
, a Commonwealth RealmCommonwealth RealmA Commonwealth realm is a sovereign state within the Commonwealth of Nations that has Elizabeth II as its monarch and head of state. The sixteen current realms have a combined land area of 18.8 million km² , and a population of 134 million, of which all, except about two million, live in the six...
, by the USA. The name of the fictional St. George’s Island derives from St. George’s, the capital of Grenada. - In addition, the parody of the defence of an island about which many British citizens (including even government ministers) know little, is a reference to events surrounding the Falklands conflictFalklands WarThe Falklands War , also called the Falklands Conflict or Falklands Crisis, was fought in 1982 between Argentina and the United Kingdom over the disputed Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands...
which had also taken place in 1983, just three years prior to the airing of the episode.