In stitches over politics

TIMES may change but government and governance remain pretty much the same. So thinks Robin Herford, director of the stage version of popular British TV sitcom Yes, Prime Minister.

"The essence of the original TV series lies in the relationship between those people at the sharp end of political decision-making, and that isn't diminished by time passing; it merely becomes more intriguing," he notes, when asked how relevant the 1980s sitcom is today.

Mr Herford himself was a huge fan of the original series - from the original Yes, Minister which debuted in 1980 and evolved into Yes, Prime Minister in 1986, when the lead character was elected to the top political office. It was also the late Margaret Thatcher's - in power at the time - favourite TV show.