A Conflict of Interest

Infobox UK Television Episode
Title = A Conflict of Interest
Series name = Yes, Prime Minister


Caption = Episode title card
Series no = 2
Episode = 4
Airdate = 31 December 1987
Writer = Antony Jay
Jonathan Lynn
Producer = Sydney Lotterby
Director =
Guests = Richard Vernon
Deborah Norton
Peter Cellier
Episode list = List of "Yes Minister" and "Yes, Prime Minister" episodes
Prev = A Diplomatic Incident
Next = Power to the People

"A Conflict of Interest" is the twelfth episode of the BBC comedy series "Yes, Prime Minister" and was first broadcast 31 December 1987.

Plot

Jim Hacker is vexed at his lack of popularity within the press, and particularly at rumours of a scandal in the City. Sir Humphrey Appleby advises him not to act unless the rumours become fact, and Bernard counsels that the Prime Minister spends too much time worrying about what the newspapers say. Hacker responds that with a party conference coming up, he has little choice but to worry.

Sir Humphrey lunches with his old friend Sir Desmond Glazebrook, the Chairman of Bartlett's Bank, who admits that the reports from the City are true. A major bank named Phillips Berenson is about to become insolvent because of dishonest activities by its directors. Furthermore, Sir Desmond states that his own bank has lent to Phillips Berenson (as they seemed "decent chaps") and stands to lose a great amount. He suggests that the Bank of England intervenes to bail them out at the taxpayers' expense, and, seeing as a new Governor is about to be appointed, he asks Sir Humphrey if pressure can be brought to bear on the PM to select the right man for the job — i.e. someone in whose interests it will be to assist in the cover-up.

The problem is that the favourite for the post is Alexander Jameson who is known for his scrupulous honesty and integrity, which has earned him the sobriquet "Mr Clean". Sir Desmond is concerned that if Jameson is appointed he will expose the facts behind Phillips Berenson and other potential scandals which could cause a loss in confidence in the City and an economic collapse.

Hacker goes over his conference speech with Dorothy Wainwright, his political advisor, and is gloomy that there is no good news in it. They then discuss Phillips Berenson, and the PM remarks that City scandals always look bad for the government. He decides to appoint Jameson as Governor in order to clean the City up and will announce it at the party conference. He sends Bernard to fetch Sir Humphrey.

Bernard arrives at the Cabinet Office and relays the PM's message. He tells Sir Humphrey that Hacker is keen to appoint Alexander Jameson to the governorship. Sir Humphrey indicates that his appointment would be "appalling" and it is his firm intention to change the PM's mind. He gives Bernard a quick lesson on how to achieve this. Generally, it involves giving wholehearted support to the candidate who must be replaced, as Sir Humphrey points out, "It is necessary to get behind someone before you can stab them in the back."

Sir Humphrey joins Hacker in the Cabinet Room. The PM tells him of his worry that the Phillips Berenson scandal may overshadow his conference speech, and that he has therefore chosen Jameson for the Bank of England governorship. Sir Humphrey is wildly enthusiastic and, by lavishing effusive praise on Jameson, eventually succeeds in making the PM doubt the appointment.

However, it was not just Hacker that was favouring Jameson. Sir Frank Gordon, Permanent Secretary to the Treasury visits Sir Humphrey and is concerned, as Jameson was also the Treasury's recommendation. The Cabinet Secretary explains that if Jameson gets the position, there is bound to be an inquiry into Phillips Berenson, which could lead to a loss of confidence, a falling pound — and possibly the government with it. When Sir Frank tells Sir Humphrey that it's a Cabinet Office problem, he is told that Phillips Berenson was supposed to have been supervised by Bank of England investigators, who are provided by the Treasury — therefore ultimately making it a difficulty for Sir Frank.

Meanwhile, Dorothy has obtained a confidential auditor's report on Phillips Berenson and it bears out everyone's suspicions. She presents it to the PM just before he hears Sir Desmond Glazebrook's views on the Bank of England post. Dorothy points out that he is someone who would stand to gain from a cover-up. Sir Desmond joins them and Hacker doesn't mention the report during the interview, but is interested in how much the banker will admit. Sir Desmond is typically oblique but does hint very strongly — albeit with a series of very mixed metaphors — that he is interested in the position of Governor himself, as "it needs to be someone the chaps trust."

Later, Hacker is preparing to make his conference speech, when he is interrupted by Sir Humphrey, who has the Burandan High Commissioner with him. The latter is concerned that the appointment of Jameson will lead to an inquiry. The PM responds that all it will reveal is that 60% of Phillips Berenson's money went to "three foreigners of doubtful repute". However, it transpires that two of the recipents in question were the President of Buranda and the Chairman of the Burandan Enterprise Corporation. The High Commissioner warns that his country would unite with other African nations to have Britain expelled from the Commonwealth if the loans are attacked. He further advised that Buranda would sell all its British government stock, thus creating a run on the pound.

Hacker confers with Sir Humphrey and is bewildered as to the Cabinet Secretary's wish for a cover-up. Sir Humphrey assures him that he has no ulterior motive ("this time") and recommends Sir Desmond Glazebrook as Governor of the Bank of England. In return, Sir Humphrey guarantees an immediate cut in interest rates, which Hacker can announce in his speech.

Episode cast

Cast notes

* Sir Desmond Glazebrook previously appeared in the "Yes Minister" episodes "Jobs for the Boys" and "The Quality of Life".

Quote

cquote2|Hacker: Don't tell me about the press. I know exactly who reads the papers: the "Daily Mirror" is read by people who think they run the country; "The Guardian" is read by people who think they ought to run the country; "The Times" is read by people who actually do run the country; the "Daily Mail" is read by the wives of the people who run the country; the "Financial Times" is read by people who own the country; the "Morning Star" is read by people who think the country ought to be run by another country; and the "The Daily Telegraph" is read by people who think it is.
Sir Humphrey: Prime Minister, what about the people who read "The Sun"?
Bernard: "Sun" readers don't care who runs the country, as long as she's got big tits.

(It might be noted that when this episode was first broadcasted, the real Prime Minister was Margaret Thatcher.)

External links

* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxdMFRwztl4 The clip of the quote mentioned above]