Prime Minister parodies (Private Eye)
Encyclopedia
Prime Minister parodies are a long-running feature of the British satirical magazine Private Eye
, which have been included in the majority of issues since the magazine's inception. The parodies consist of one arch satirical personification of the Prime Minister of the day, and use that personification to send up continuously that Prime Minister's personality and style of leadership, and the personalities and general features of his cabinet. Such are their popularity that the parodies usually find their way into mainstream culture far beyond simply being viewed as a joke within the pages of Private Eye, and are subsequently mentioned often in other journalistic appraisals of the individual in question.
Harold Wilson
's wife Mary, in the style of the then-popular BBC
radio serial Mrs Dale's Diary
. Written primarily by John Wells
with input from Richard Ingrams
and Peter Cook
, it chronicled the events in Wilson's life from Mary's more down-to-earth and homely perspective. Mrs Wilson was presented as seeing herself as comfortably middle class, in contrast to the working class pretensions (and middle class actuality) of her husband, for example the Wincarnis
(a brand of tonic wine) and the worsted
suits with two pairs of trousers (Wilson was from Huddersfield
, a town famous for the manufacture of worsted cloth).
The "Diary" caught the mood of the nation in the mid to late sixties, and helped to raise the profile of the magazine from a fledgling publication to that of a popular and well-known satirical voice. The column subsequently appeared as a sketch on satirical television programmes, and was adapted as a musical play under the eye of Joan Littlewood
(music by Jeremy Taylor
), being performed in the West End
. It also inspired a similar feature in the American magazine National Lampoon named Mrs Agnew's Diary, purporting to be the actual journal of Vice President
Spiro Agnew
's wife.
(managing director) keeps his staff up to date and in high spirits with the latest company news. Cabinet ministers were recast as petty managers and clerks in this satire. The company's logo was a stylised yacht (Heath's hobby was yachting). The newsletters invariably ended with a request to staff which admonished them for stubbing their cigarettes out in the plastic cups in which the canteen served them with tea. Frequent reference was made to the malfunctioning of the Automatic Plastic Beaker Disposal Unit, or ABPDU.
administration.
consisted of spoof letters from Denis Thatcher
to his friend Bill Deedes
, editor of the Daily Telegraph, about life in 10 Downing Street
with Margaret Thatcher
. The series portrayed Denis as a sozzled right-wing alcoholic staggering between snifter
s, with various friends, many of whom, like Bill and Denis, played golf
. The putative author
was often commanded to accompany his wife on various tours - home and abroad; electioneering, political and statesmanlike, plus 'very' occasional holidays; Denis has his own slant on everywhere he goes, and not infrequently meets an old chummo with whom he is able to partake of a libation
or two. The column was written by Richard Ingrams
and John Wells
. Wells, also a comic actor, developed a sideline as an impersonator of Denis Thatcher.
The collected columns were published every year in paperback form.
The parody led to several spin-offs. Wells wrote and starred in a West End stage musical titled Anyone For Denis featuring Denis Thatcher's perspective of life at Number Ten with Margaret Thatcher. Wells also collaborated with Secret Policeman's Ball
series co-creator/producer Martin Lewis and Not the Nine O'Clock News
series co-creator/producer John Lloyd
on the comedy album Iron Lady: The Coming Of The Leader http://www.flickr.com/photos/93794413@N00/5588354364/ http://www.discogs.com/Janet-Brown-Iron-Lady-The-Coming-Of-The-Leader/release/2703094. The album was written by Wells who also appeared on it performing multiple characters. Lewis and Lloyd produced. Margaret Thatcher was portrayed by Janet Brown.
in which John Major
was characterised as being hopelessly naïve and optimistic, as well as dull, weak and obsessed by trivia. The diary reappears occasionally, such as after the revelation of his affair with Edwina Currie
, when he was made a KG and after he attended the funeral of Edward Heath
.
was the newsletter of a fictional parish, "St Albion", in which Tony Blair
's religious beliefs and style of public speaking saw him characterised as a trendy yet sanctimonious Church of England
vicar
, and members of his government as various parish officials, eg. Gordon Brown
as the grumpy parish treasurer, and Hazel Blears
delivering the parish newsletter on the back of her bicycle. Blair often received updates from his transatlantic confidant, George Bush
, from the "Church of the Latter-Day Morons", or a topical variant thereof (such as the "Church of Latter-Day More Bombs" in times of war). From 1997-2001, during the presidency of Bill Clinton
, the correspondence was described as coming from "The Church of the 7th Day Fornicators" in reference to Clinton's womanising.
decree
by "supreme leader" Gordon Brown
, portrayed as a centralist dictator. Brown continuously hailed the "Age of Change" and often attempted to revise history
(playing on Brown's degree in history
), making harsh attacks on the "discredited regime" of "former Comrade Blair". The column made much of the Soviet-era tendency to coin philosophies pertaining to certain people, often referring to "Blairist-Mandelsonism
", "Osbornist
-Cameronian
" and other variants.
the bursar and his assistant Mr Alexander
, who has joined the staff "since leaving school last year".
• Harold MacMillan
• Sir Alec Douglas-Home
• Harold Wilson
• Edward Heath
The Prime Ministers were impersonated by various members of the Private Eye staff and friends, including Peter Cook
, John Bird
. Richard Ingrams
and Willie Rushton
.
Private Eye
Private Eye is a fortnightly British satirical and current affairs magazine, edited by Ian Hislop.Since its first publication in 1961, Private Eye has been a prominent critic and lampooner of public figures and entities that it deemed guilty of any of the sins of incompetence, inefficiency,...
, which have been included in the majority of issues since the magazine's inception. The parodies consist of one arch satirical personification of the Prime Minister of the day, and use that personification to send up continuously that Prime Minister's personality and style of leadership, and the personalities and general features of his cabinet. Such are their popularity that the parodies usually find their way into mainstream culture far beyond simply being viewed as a joke within the pages of Private Eye, and are subsequently mentioned often in other journalistic appraisals of the individual in question.
Harold Wilson: Mrs. Wilson's Diary
Mrs Wilson's Diary was the imaginary diary of Prime MinisterPrime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
Harold Wilson
Harold Wilson
James Harold Wilson, Baron Wilson of Rievaulx, KG, OBE, FRS, FSS, PC was a British Labour Member of Parliament, Leader of the Labour Party. He was twice Prime Minister of the United Kingdom during the 1960s and 1970s, winning four general elections, including a minority government after the...
's wife Mary, in the style of the then-popular BBC
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...
radio serial Mrs Dale's Diary
Mrs Dale's Diary
Mrs Dale's Diary was the first significant BBC radio serial drama. It was first broadcast on the BBC Light Programme on 5 January 1948, and subsequently transferred to the newly formed Radio 2 in 1967, where it ran until 25 April 1969...
. Written primarily by John Wells
John Wells (satirist)
John Wells was an English actor, writer and satirist, educated at Eastbourne College and St Edmund Hall, Oxford...
with input from Richard Ingrams
Richard Ingrams
Richard Ingrams is an English journalist, a co-founder and second editor of the British satirical magazine Private Eye, and now editor of The Oldie magazine.-Career:...
and Peter Cook
Peter Cook
Peter Edward Cook was an English satirist, writer and comedian. An extremely influential figure in modern British comedy, he is regarded as the leading light of the British satire boom of the 1960s. He has been described by Stephen Fry as "the funniest man who ever drew breath," although Cook's...
, it chronicled the events in Wilson's life from Mary's more down-to-earth and homely perspective. Mrs Wilson was presented as seeing herself as comfortably middle class, in contrast to the working class pretensions (and middle class actuality) of her husband, for example the Wincarnis
Wincarnis
Wincarnis is a brand name of a British tonic wine, popular in Jamaica and some other former British colonies. It is a fortified wine now made to a secret recipe of grape juice, malt extracts, herbs and spices, but it no longer contains meat...
(a brand of tonic wine) and the worsted
Worsted
Worsted , is the name of a yarn, the cloth made from this yarn, and a yarn weight category. The name derives from the village of Worstead in the English county of Norfolk...
suits with two pairs of trousers (Wilson was from Huddersfield
Huddersfield
Huddersfield is a large market town within the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees, in West Yorkshire, England, situated halfway between Leeds and Manchester. It lies north of London, and south of Bradford, the nearest city....
, a town famous for the manufacture of worsted cloth).
The "Diary" caught the mood of the nation in the mid to late sixties, and helped to raise the profile of the magazine from a fledgling publication to that of a popular and well-known satirical voice. The column subsequently appeared as a sketch on satirical television programmes, and was adapted as a musical play under the eye of Joan Littlewood
Joan Littlewood
Joan Maud Littlewood was a British theatre director, noted for her work in developing the left-wing Theatre Workshop...
(music by Jeremy Taylor
Jeremy Taylor (singer)
Jeremy Taylor is an English folk singer and songwriter who has spent much of his life in South Africa, originally as a teacher of English in southern Johannesburg, but since 1994 has lived in Wales and in France. Part stand-up comedian, part singer, Taylor has used his talents to confront the...
), being performed in the West End
West End theatre
West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London's 'Theatreland', the West End. Along with New York's Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English speaking...
. It also inspired a similar feature in the American magazine National Lampoon named Mrs Agnew's Diary, purporting to be the actual journal of Vice President
Vice President of the United States
The Vice President of the United States is the holder of a public office created by the United States Constitution. The Vice President, together with the President of the United States, is indirectly elected by the people, through the Electoral College, to a four-year term...
Spiro Agnew
Spiro Agnew
Spiro Theodore Agnew was the 39th Vice President of the United States , serving under President Richard Nixon, and the 55th Governor of Maryland...
's wife.
Edward Heath: Heathco. Newsletter
Heathco Newsletter purported to be an internal missive from the managing director of a struggling small firm called Heathco, in which Edward HeathEdward Heath
Sir Edward Richard George "Ted" Heath, KG, MBE, PC was a British Conservative politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and as Leader of the Conservative Party ....
(managing director) keeps his staff up to date and in high spirits with the latest company news. Cabinet ministers were recast as petty managers and clerks in this satire. The company's logo was a stylised yacht (Heath's hobby was yachting). The newsletters invariably ended with a request to staff which admonished them for stubbing their cigarettes out in the plastic cups in which the canteen served them with tea. Frequent reference was made to the malfunctioning of the Automatic Plastic Beaker Disposal Unit, or ABPDU.
James Callaghan
There was no Prime Ministerial parody by Private Eye of the James CallaghanJames Callaghan
Leonard James Callaghan, Baron Callaghan of Cardiff, KG, PC , was a British Labour politician, who was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1976 to 1979 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1976 to 1980...
administration.
Margaret Thatcher: Dear Bill
Dear BillDear Bill
The "Dear Bill" letters were a regular feature in the British satirical magazine Private Eye, purporting to be the private correspondence of Denis Thatcher, husband of the then-Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher...
consisted of spoof letters from Denis Thatcher
Denis Thatcher
Major Sir Denis Thatcher, 1st Baronet, MBE, TD was a British businessman, and the husband of the former British Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher. He was born in Lewisham, London, the elder child of a New Zealand-born British businessman, Thomas Herbert Thatcher, and his wife Kathleen, née Bird...
to his friend Bill Deedes
Bill Deedes
William Francis Deedes, Baron Deedes, KBE, MC, PC, DL was a British Conservative Party politician, army officer and journalist; he is to date the only person in Britain to have been both a member of the Cabinet and the editor of a major daily newspaper, The Daily Telegraph.-Early life and...
, editor of the Daily Telegraph, about life in 10 Downing Street
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....
with Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990...
. The series portrayed Denis as a sozzled right-wing alcoholic staggering between snifter
Snifter
A snifter — also called a balloon — is a type of stemware, a short-stemmed glass whose vessel has a wide bottom and a relatively narrow top. It is mostly used to serve aged brown spirits such as brandy and whisky...
s, with various friends, many of whom, like Bill and Denis, played golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
. The putative author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
was often commanded to accompany his wife on various tours - home and abroad; electioneering, political and statesmanlike, plus 'very' occasional holidays; Denis has his own slant on everywhere he goes, and not infrequently meets an old chummo with whom he is able to partake of a libation
Libation
A libation is a ritual pouring of a liquid as an offering to a god or spirit or in memory of those who have died. It was common in many religions of antiquity and continues to be offered in various cultures today....
or two. The column was written by Richard Ingrams
Richard Ingrams
Richard Ingrams is an English journalist, a co-founder and second editor of the British satirical magazine Private Eye, and now editor of The Oldie magazine.-Career:...
and John Wells
John Wells (satirist)
John Wells was an English actor, writer and satirist, educated at Eastbourne College and St Edmund Hall, Oxford...
. Wells, also a comic actor, developed a sideline as an impersonator of Denis Thatcher.
The collected columns were published every year in paperback form.
The parody led to several spin-offs. Wells wrote and starred in a West End stage musical titled Anyone For Denis featuring Denis Thatcher's perspective of life at Number Ten with Margaret Thatcher. Wells also collaborated with Secret Policeman's Ball
The Secret Policeman's Balls
The Secret Policeman's Balls is the collective name informally used to describe the long-running series of benefit shows staged in England to raise funds for the human rights organisation Amnesty International...
series co-creator/producer Martin Lewis and Not the Nine O'Clock News
Not the Nine O'Clock News
Not the Nine O'Clock News is a television comedy sketch show which was broadcast on BBC 2 from 1979 to 1982.Originally shown as a comedy "alternative" to the BBC Nine O'Clock News on BBC 1, it featured satirical sketches on current news stories and popular culture, as well as parody songs, comedy...
series co-creator/producer John Lloyd
John Lloyd (writer)
John Hardress Wilfred Lloyd CBE is a British comedy writer and television producer. He is the great nephew of John Hardress Lloyd.-Early life and career:...
on the comedy album Iron Lady: The Coming Of The Leader http://www.flickr.com/photos/93794413@N00/5588354364/ http://www.discogs.com/Janet-Brown-Iron-Lady-The-Coming-Of-The-Leader/release/2703094. The album was written by Wells who also appeared on it performing multiple characters. Lewis and Lloyd produced. Margaret Thatcher was portrayed by Janet Brown.
John Major: The Secret Diary of John Major (aged 47¾)
The Secret Diary of John Major (aged 47¾) was a weekly spoof diary entry based on The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, Aged 13¾The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, Aged 13¾
For the TV-series, see The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, Aged 13¾ is the first book in the Adrian Mole series of comedic fiction, written by Sue Townsend. The book is written in a diary style, and focuses on the worries and regrets of a teenager who believes himself...
in which John Major
John Major
Sir John Major, is a British Conservative politician, who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party from 1990–1997...
was characterised as being hopelessly naïve and optimistic, as well as dull, weak and obsessed by trivia. The diary reappears occasionally, such as after the revelation of his affair with Edwina Currie
Edwina Currie
Edwina Jonesnée Cohen is a former British Member of Parliament. First elected as a Conservative Party MP in 1983, she was a Junior Health Minister for two years, before resigning in 1988 over the controversy over salmonella in eggs...
, when he was made a KG and after he attended the funeral of Edward Heath
Edward Heath
Sir Edward Richard George "Ted" Heath, KG, MBE, PC was a British Conservative politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and as Leader of the Conservative Party ....
.
Tony Blair: St Albion Parish News
St Albion Parish NewsSt Albion Parish News
St Albion Parish News was a regular feature in the British satirical magazine Private Eye during the premiership of Tony Blair. It was in the Private Eye tradition of featuring a fortnightly column lampooning the Prime Minister of the day and their close associates, seemingly written in a gossipy...
was the newsletter of a fictional parish, "St Albion", in which Tony Blair
Tony Blair
Anthony Charles Lynton Blair is a former British Labour Party politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to 27 June 2007. He was the Member of Parliament for Sedgefield from 1983 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007...
's religious beliefs and style of public speaking saw him characterised as a trendy yet sanctimonious Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
vicar
Vicar
In the broadest sense, a vicar is a representative, deputy or substitute; anyone acting "in the person of" or agent for a superior . In this sense, the title is comparable to lieutenant...
, and members of his government as various parish officials, eg. Gordon Brown
Gordon Brown
James Gordon Brown is a British Labour Party politician who was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Labour Party from 2007 until 2010. He previously served as Chancellor of the Exchequer in the Labour Government from 1997 to 2007...
as the grumpy parish treasurer, and Hazel Blears
Hazel Blears
Hazel Anne Blears is a British Labour Party politician, who has been the Member of Parliament for Salford and Eccles since 2010 and was previously the MP for Salford since 1997...
delivering the parish newsletter on the back of her bicycle. Blair often received updates from his transatlantic confidant, George Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
, from the "Church of the Latter-Day Morons", or a topical variant thereof (such as the "Church of Latter-Day More Bombs" in times of war). From 1997-2001, during the presidency of Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
, the correspondence was described as coming from "The Church of the 7th Day Fornicators" in reference to Clinton's womanising.
Gordon Brown: Prime Ministerial Decree
Prime Ministerial Decree was a mock StalinistStalinism
Stalinism refers to the ideology that Joseph Stalin conceived and implemented in the Soviet Union, and is generally considered a branch of Marxist–Leninist ideology but considered by some historians to be a significant deviation from this philosophy...
decree
Decree
A decree is a rule of law issued by a head of state , according to certain procedures . It has the force of law...
by "supreme leader" Gordon Brown
Gordon Brown
James Gordon Brown is a British Labour Party politician who was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Labour Party from 2007 until 2010. He previously served as Chancellor of the Exchequer in the Labour Government from 1997 to 2007...
, portrayed as a centralist dictator. Brown continuously hailed the "Age of Change" and often attempted to revise history
Historical revisionism (negationism)
Historical revisionism is either the legitimate scholastic re-examination of existing knowledge about a historical event, or the illegitimate distortion of the historical record such that certain events appear in a more or less favourable light. For the former, i.e. the academic pursuit, see...
(playing on Brown's degree in history
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
), making harsh attacks on the "discredited regime" of "former Comrade Blair". The column made much of the Soviet-era tendency to coin philosophies pertaining to certain people, often referring to "Blairist-Mandelsonism
Peter Mandelson
Peter Benjamin Mandelson, Baron Mandelson, PC is a British Labour Party politician, who was the Member of Parliament for Hartlepool from 1992 to 2004, served in a number of Cabinet positions under both Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, and was a European Commissioner...
", "Osbornist
George Osborne
George Gideon Oliver Osborne, MP is a British Conservative politician. He is the Chancellor of the Exchequer of the United Kingdom, a role to which he was appointed in May 2010, and has been the Member of Parliament for Tatton since 2001.Osborne is part of the old Anglo-Irish aristocracy, known in...
-Cameronian
David Cameron
David William Donald Cameron is the current Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service and Leader of the Conservative Party. Cameron represents Witney as its Member of Parliament ....
" and other variants.
David Cameron: The New Coalition Academy
David Cameron (MA Oxon) is portrayed as the headmaster of The New Coalition Academy along with Deputy Headmaster Nicholas Clegg (MA Cantab). Key members of staff include Mr Cable the Business Studies teacher, Mr OsborneGeorge Osborne
George Gideon Oliver Osborne, MP is a British Conservative politician. He is the Chancellor of the Exchequer of the United Kingdom, a role to which he was appointed in May 2010, and has been the Member of Parliament for Tatton since 2001.Osborne is part of the old Anglo-Irish aristocracy, known in...
the bursar and his assistant Mr Alexander
Danny Alexander
Daniel Grian Alexander is a British Liberal Democrat politician who has been Chief Secretary to the Treasury since 2010. He has been the Member of Parliament for the Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch & Strathspey constituency since 2005....
, who has joined the staff "since leaving school last year".
Audio parodies
The Private Eye recordings issued by the magazine from time-to-time, especially in its first fifteen years, featured comedic impersonations and lampoons of the following Prime Ministers:• Harold MacMillan
Harold Macmillan
Maurice Harold Macmillan, 1st Earl of Stockton, OM, PC was Conservative Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 10 January 1957 to 18 October 1963....
• Sir Alec Douglas-Home
• Harold Wilson
• Edward Heath
The Prime Ministers were impersonated by various members of the Private Eye staff and friends, including Peter Cook
Peter Cook
Peter Edward Cook was an English satirist, writer and comedian. An extremely influential figure in modern British comedy, he is regarded as the leading light of the British satire boom of the 1960s. He has been described by Stephen Fry as "the funniest man who ever drew breath," although Cook's...
, John Bird
John Bird (actor)
John Bird is an English satirist, actor and comedian.-Early life:Born in Bulwell, Nottingham, England, and educated at High Pavement Grammar School, Nottingham, Bird briefly joined the Socialist Party of Great Britain, while still at school...
. Richard Ingrams
Richard Ingrams
Richard Ingrams is an English journalist, a co-founder and second editor of the British satirical magazine Private Eye, and now editor of The Oldie magazine.-Career:...
and Willie Rushton
Willie Rushton
William George Rushton, commonly known as Willie Rushton was an English cartoonist, satirist, comedian, actor and performer who co-founded the Private Eye satirical magazine.- School and army :William George Rushton was born 18 August 1937 in the family home at Scarsdale Villas,...
.
See also
- Private EyePrivate EyePrivate Eye is a fortnightly British satirical and current affairs magazine, edited by Ian Hislop.Since its first publication in 1961, Private Eye has been a prominent critic and lampooner of public figures and entities that it deemed guilty of any of the sins of incompetence, inefficiency,...
- Prime Minister of the United KingdomPrime Minister of the United KingdomThe 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...
- List of people and organisations frequently parodied by Private Eye
- List of recurring in-jokes in Private Eye
- Details of the Private Eye recordings