Politicians
Many British politicians in parliament during Margaret Thatcher's tenure were parodied. By far the most prominent was Thatcher herself, portrayed as an abusive, tyrannical, cigar-chomping cross-dresser (she wore suits, shaved, used the urinals, and was addressed by her Cabinet as "Sir").
In the first series, Thatcher sought advice from her enraptured neighbour Herr Jeremy Von Wilcox (who is actually an elderly Adolf Hitler, living at 9 Downing Street) about the unions and the unemployed. In the third episode, Mr. Wilcox/Hitler compares the trade unions with the Soviet Union and advises not to attack in winter. In that same episode, regarding unemployment, he says that people out of work should be put in the army, and tells Thatcher that he thinks the SS (meaning SAS) are a "great bunch of guys".
Alongside Thatcher were her Cabinet, which included:
Willie Whitelaw, with fluffy eyebrows and wearing a tartan dressing gown to cabinet meetings.
Nigel Lawson, panicking about a financial crisis he had apparently caused (a real-life recession caused Lawson to step down in 1989). He is by far the worst of all the cabinet being unable to count to 17; he also writes new budget and tax laws in his favour. However, upon discovering Thatcher promptly has him rewrite them in her favour.
Geoffrey Howe, bland and talks to sheep.
Douglas Hurd, famous for his Dalek-style voice and his hair shaped like a "Mr Whippy" ice cream. Hurd seems also the most competent and humane one in the cabinet, opposing the usage of torture and stopping the dumping of nuclear waste in Scotland.
Norman Tebbit, appearing as a leather-clad skinhead loyal to Thatcher, referring to her as "Leader" and often beating up other politicians.
Michael Heseltine, growing more manic with every series (and wearing a flak jacket as Defence Secretary).
Leon Brittan, constantly fawning towards Thatcher and often seen eating.
Norman Fowler, portrayed during his time as Health Secretary as a hospital-murdering Jack the Ripper-style lunatic.
Cecil Parkinson, having a playboy attitude
Edwina Currie, portrayed as a vampire or Cruella de Vil.
Paul Channon, childish.
Kenneth Baker, transforming into a slug over the series.
Nicholas Ridley, smoking and developing the countryside for houses.
Kenneth Clarke, obese and drunk despite being Minister for Health.
Peter Walker, as a spineless wimp.
David Waddington, fast talking and creepy.
Francis Pym and Jim Prior, Wets who swam in swimming pools.
Colin Moynihan, minuscule and childlike, called "miniature for sport".
Tom King, portrayed while Employment Secretary as The Invisible Man.
Thatcher's Cabinet were often depicted as bickering schoolchildren, with Thatcher acting as teacher. In one skit she treats her Cabinet to a meal at a restaurant. The waitress asks: "Would you like to order, sir?" Thatcher responds: "Yes. I will have the steak" Waitress: "And what about the Vegetables?" Thatcher: "Oh, they'll [The Cabinet] have the same as me".
Thatcher's successor John Major was portrayed as a dull, boring grey character who enjoyed a meal of peas with his wife Norma and was constantly mocked by Humphrey, the Downing Street cat. Before Thatcher's resignation, Major had been portrayed as wearing a leopard print suit and swinging in on a trapeze, referencing his background as the son of a circus acrobat (which he would frequently remind everyone about). Upon his appointment to Prime Minister, Major was initially portrayed as a robot with a spinning antenna on his head (it was explained in a sketch that Thatcher used it to control Major, standing behind Thatcher in the crowd of sycophantic cabinet members, eager to repeat whatever the Thatcher puppet screeched).
The Opposition (Labour Party) politicians included:
Neil Kinnock, the 'Welsh Windbag', talking for hours about anything other than policies.
Roy Hattersley, spitting with every word because of his lisp (on 'Best Ever Spitting Image', Hattersley praised his puppet for 'putting the spit into Spitting Image').
Michael Foot, aged and senile, ending sentences with "Yes! Argh!".
Tony Benn, a rampant socialist with eyes that never looked in the same direction.
Ken Livingstone, whose living room was filled with salamanders and snakes.
Denis Healey, with giant eyebrows, who helped to make Kinnock look foolish (the real Healey appeared in the programme in 1984 in a skit about that year's European elections in the UK).
Gerald Kaufman, portrayed as a Hannibal Lecter-style maniac.
Arthur Scargill, who was a member of the Labour Party until 1997, appeared as head of the National Union of Mineworkers, and was portrayed as a big-nosed egotist who was ignorant about mining.
In 1994, a puppet of Tony Blair made his appearance. He was originally a public school boy, wearing grey shorts, blazer and cap. His catchphrase was "I'M THE LEADER" in reference to his attempt to lead the Labour Party. When Blair did become Labour leader, the puppet changed and he was portrayed with his grin replaced with an even bigger smile if he said something of importance. The deputy leader, John Prescott, was portrayed as a fat bumbling assistant, along with a squeaky voiced Robin Cook, and an enormous bespectacled Jack Straw.
The SDP–Liberal Alliance was portrayed by the election-losing, populist, arrogant and undecided David Owen, with whining, bedwetting David Steel in his pocket. They were soon replaced by Paddy Ashdown, whose "equidistance" from the larger parties was satirised by his frequent appearance at the side of the screen during unrelated sketches, saying: "I am neither in this sketch nor not in it, but somewhere in-between". This running gag was used when Ashdown's extramarital affair was revealed, and his puppet commented that "I didn't touch her on the left leg, or the right leg, but somewhere in-between." Former Liberal MP Cyril Smith also made a few appearances as a morbidly obese giant.
In the first series, Former Prime Ministers Harold Wilson, James Callaghan, Harold Macmillan and Alec Douglas-Home were depicted as living in a highly restrictive retirement home named Exchequers, where they were frequently abused by Queen Victoria. Wilson constantly attempted escape, whilst Callaghan took delight in tormenting him. Edward Heath was also said to have resided there, but he was not seen on screen; later, he would appear as a naked piano player.
