This sketch was aired on December 27 1982 as a part of "The Funny Side of Christmas" on BBC1.

Margaret Thatcher wrote the sketch in honour of the show being presented with an award from Mary Whitehouse’s National Viewers’ And Listeners’ Association at an event commemorated on the cover of the satirical magazine Private Eye. Being the PM at the time and writing the sketch, of course she made sure that it co-starred herself…as herself.

The seasonal festivities at the Departmental offices of the Ministry of Administrative Affairs are overshadowed by rumours of a Cabinet reshuffle.