Yes, Prime Minister Quotes
Employment Secretary: Prime Minister, why was my request for a further discussion and your reply not minuted?
Sir Humphrey Appleby: Ah, Prime Minister... It is characteristic of all committee discussions and decisions that every member has a vivid recollection of them and that every member's recollection of them differs violently from every other member's recollection. Consequently we accept the convention that the official decisions are those and only those which have officially recorded in the minutes by the officials, from which it emerges with an elegant inevitability that any decision which has been officially reached will have been officially recorded in the minutes by the officials and any decision which is not recorded in the minutes has not been officially reached even if one or more members believe they can recollect it, so in this particular case if the decision had been officially reached it would have been officially recorded in the minutes by the officials. And it isn't so it wasn't.
Sir Humphrey Appleby: Ah, Prime Minister... It is characteristic of all committee discussions and decisions that every member has a vivid recollection of them and that every member's recollection of them differs violently from every other member's recollection. Consequently we accept the convention that the official decisions are those and only those which have officially recorded in the minutes by the officials, from which it emerges with an elegant inevitability that any decision which has been officially reached will have been officially recorded in the minutes by the officials and any decision which is not recorded in the minutes has not been officially reached even if one or more members believe they can recollect it, so in this particular case if the decision had been officially reached it would have been officially recorded in the minutes by the officials. And it isn't so it wasn't.
TV Show: Yes, Prime Minister
Godfrey - TV Producer: Prime Minister, would you mind not leaning forward like that? It makes you look as though you're selling insurance.
TV Show: Yes, Prime Minister
Israeli Ambassador: It's well known that in the British Foreign Office an instruction from the Prime Minister becomes a request from the Foreign Secretary, then a recommendation from the Minister of State and, finally, just a suggestion to the ambassador. If it ever gets that far.
TV Show: Yes, Prime Minister
Israeli Ambassador: Well, Jim, what are you going to do about St George's?
James Hacker: You know about that?
Israeli Ambassador: Obviously.
James Hacker: Not a serious problem, is it?
Israeli Ambassador: Isn't it? Your information must be better than mine.
James Hacker: Don't be silly. Mine comes from the Foreign Office.
Israeli Ambassador: Israeli Intelligence says that East Yemen are going to invade St George's Island in the next few days.
James Hacker: What? So that's the connection.
Israeli Ambassador: Your Foreign Office have agreed with East Yemen that they'll make strong diplomatic representations, but do nothing. In return, the Yemenis will let you keep your airport contract after they've taken over.
James Hacker: There will be uproar!
Israeli Ambassador: That's only the start. I happen to know from our ambassador in Washington that the Americans are going to support the present government of St George's.
James Hacker: In the U.N.?
Israeli Ambassador: No, in battle. On St George's Island. They'll send in an airborne division backed up by the Seventh Fleet.
James Hacker: The Americans? Invading a Commonwealth country? The Palace will hit the roof. And I'll look ridiculous. Why didn't the Americans tell me?
Israeli Ambassador: They don't trust you.
James Hacker: Why not?
Israeli Ambassador: Because you trust the Foreign Office.
James Hacker: Oh, I see. What can I do about it?
Israeli Ambassador: Jim, you hav
James Hacker: You know about that?
Israeli Ambassador: Obviously.
James Hacker: Not a serious problem, is it?
Israeli Ambassador: Isn't it? Your information must be better than mine.
James Hacker: Don't be silly. Mine comes from the Foreign Office.
Israeli Ambassador: Israeli Intelligence says that East Yemen are going to invade St George's Island in the next few days.
James Hacker: What? So that's the connection.
Israeli Ambassador: Your Foreign Office have agreed with East Yemen that they'll make strong diplomatic representations, but do nothing. In return, the Yemenis will let you keep your airport contract after they've taken over.
James Hacker: There will be uproar!
Israeli Ambassador: That's only the start. I happen to know from our ambassador in Washington that the Americans are going to support the present government of St George's.
James Hacker: In the U.N.?
Israeli Ambassador: No, in battle. On St George's Island. They'll send in an airborne division backed up by the Seventh Fleet.
James Hacker: The Americans? Invading a Commonwealth country? The Palace will hit the roof. And I'll look ridiculous. Why didn't the Americans tell me?
Israeli Ambassador: They don't trust you.
James Hacker: Why not?
Israeli Ambassador: Because you trust the Foreign Office.
James Hacker: Oh, I see. What can I do about it?
Israeli Ambassador: Jim, you hav
TV Show: Yes, Prime Minister
James Hacker: If there were a conflict of interests which side would the civil service really be on?
Bernard Woolley: The winning side, Prime Minister.
Bernard Woolley: The winning side, Prime Minister.
TV Show: Yes, Prime Minister
Sir Richard Wharton: I know what we'll do. We'll tell the press that it was the Prime Minister's initiative to send the dean.
Sir Humphrey Appleby: Oh, good idea. He'll enjoy taking the credit.
Sir Richard Wharton: But you don't think there's any danger that the PM's denying it just because it isn't true, is there?
Sir Humphrey Appleby: Not at all.
Sir Richard Wharton: And then for the Sundays' we leak the idea that the Foreign Office suggested it to HIM when we found all the diplomatic channels blocked.
Sir Humphrey Appleby: Perfect. That way nobody gets the blame and everybody gets the credit.
Sir Richard Wharton: Except the person who really thought it up.
Sir Humphrey Appleby: Oh, well. I don't mind.
Sir Humphrey Appleby: Oh, good idea. He'll enjoy taking the credit.
Sir Richard Wharton: But you don't think there's any danger that the PM's denying it just because it isn't true, is there?
Sir Humphrey Appleby: Not at all.
Sir Richard Wharton: And then for the Sundays' we leak the idea that the Foreign Office suggested it to HIM when we found all the diplomatic channels blocked.
Sir Humphrey Appleby: Perfect. That way nobody gets the blame and everybody gets the credit.
Sir Richard Wharton: Except the person who really thought it up.
Sir Humphrey Appleby: Oh, well. I don't mind.
TV Show: Yes, Prime Minister