The New Statesman

The New Statesman was an award-winning British sitcom from the 80s satirising the Tory government of the time. Written by Laurence Marks and Maurice Gram on the request of its principal actor, Rik Mayall.

Its main character was Alan B'stard, an ultra-right wing and ultra-ambitious politician. It was mostly set in B'stard's antechambers in the House Of Commons and featured Piers Fletcher-Dervish, B'start's twittish upper-class side-kick.

The sitcom was riotously funny (the audience laughter was so loud and persistent that it apparently caused the show to overrun, causing the writers to shorten the scripts to compensate). However, it was also desperately cruel and utterly irreverent, treating all its subjects with the cold hand of black humour. Violent slapstick was not uncommon.

• See also Yes Prime Minister.

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The New Statesman is also a left-wing British current affairs magazine.