COVERAGE of the clash between a senior diplomat and members of the House of Commons foreign affairs select committee gave us one of the most fascinating pieces of television for years.

We had a cameo of what goes on between elected representatives and bureaucratic executives.

Sir John Kerr, permanent under-secretary at the Foreign Office, lost his temper as he was closely questioned by MPs from both sides of the House over the Arms for Africa saga.

What emerged was like watching a re-run of the BBC television comedy, Yes Minister.

The only difference was that Sir John showed a somewhat shorter fuse than the fictional Humphrey.

It is hardly surprising that the show was favourite viewing among many politicians, including Margaret Thatcher who was Prime Minister when it was at the height of its popularity.

The real life show revealed the arrogance of senior Civil Servants in their attempts to thwart the will of elected Members of Parliament.

Sir John's arrogance as he dealt with MPs' questions was quite breath-taking.

But it was good to see that he did not get his way.

By the end of the meeting it had been made obvious to him who the electorate had chosen to run the country and who was there to assist them in that task.

But many people must have been left thinking that it was about time Civil Servants started to consider their title, particularly the "servant" part of it.

They are not the bosses, they are the servants and thankfully this was clearly demonstrated by members of the select committee.

This was merely a glimpse of what goes on between highly paid career civil servants and the representatives of the people. But it demonstrated the lengths to which the mandarins will go to run the show their way. Every detail had to be dragged from Sir John and one question was put to him seven times before he reluctantly answered.

Civil Servants, even those as senior as Sir John, must be accountable.

They are there to assist the people's elected representatives in the running of the country, and not to manipulate those representatives.

Yes Minister was funny.

Not so the Sir John Kerr show.

That merely rang alarm bells.

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