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S1 E6

Yes, Minister · Season 1, Episode 6

Sir Frederick, Sir Humphrey and others in “The Right to Know”

[How to guide ministers to making the right decisions]

FSir Frederick

[...] there are four words to be included in a proposal if you want it thrown out.

Sir Humphrey

Complicated. Lengthy. Expensive. Controversial. And if you want to be really sure that the Minister doesn't accept it, you must say the decision is "courageous".

Bernard

And that's worse than "controversial"?

Sir Humphrey

Oh, yes! "Controversial" only means "this will lose you votes". "Courageous" means "this will lose you the election"!

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