Portrayed by John Nettleton Title Sir First appearance "Open Government" | Occupation Cabinet Secretary Played by John Nettleton TV show Yes, Prime Minister | |
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Last appearance "The National Education Service" Similar Bernard Woolley, Frank Gordon, Dorothy Wainwright, Jim Hacker, Humphrey Appleby | ||
Sir arnold robinson john nettleton gives advice on increasing wages
Sir Arnold Robinson GCMG CVO MA (Oxon) is a fictional character in the 1980s British sitcom Yes Minister and its sequel, Yes, Prime Minister. He was played by John Nettleton. He attended Eton College, then Baillie College with Sir Humphrey Appleby and shares the same views on the running of the country, the government and the Civil Service; indeed, his role is often to provide counsel to Sir Humphrey when the latter is encountering difficulties in defeating Jim Hacker. On occasion Sir Arnold obliquely warns Sir Humphrey that any failures in that endeavour could harm Sir Humphrey's own prospects for advancement, mirroring Sir Humphrey's own threats to his younger colleague Bernard Woolley.
In Yes Minister, Sir Arnold holds the position of Cabinet Secretary. In the last episode, "Party Games", he retires and is succeeded by Sir Humphrey Appleby, then Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Administrative Affairs.
In Yes, Prime Minister, while now retired from the Civil Service, he is often sought for advice by Sir Humphrey and, on one occasion, by Jim Hacker, when he suspects Sir Humphrey of being a spy (of which he is cleared), in "One of Us".