"Humphrey knows nothing about newspapers. He's a Civil Servant. I'm a politician, I know all about them. I have to. They can make or brake me. I know exactly who reads them. The Times is read by the people who run the country. The Daily Mirror is read by the people who think they run the country. The Guardian is read by the people who think they ought to run the country. The Morning Star is read by the people who think the country ought to be run by another country. The Independent is read by people who don't know who runs the country but are sure they're doing it wrong. The Daily Mail is read by the wives of the people who run the country. The Financial Times is read by the people who own the country. The Daily Express is read by the people who think the country ought to be run as it used to be run. The Daily Telegraph is read by the people who still think it is their country. And the Sun's readers don't care who runs the country providing she has got big tits."

"The reason, as I now understand, is that you must not be on the record saying that somebody is no good. You must be seen as a friend. After all, as Humphrey explained so cogently that morning, it is necessary to get behind someone before you can stab them in the back.
The interesting thing about expressing support for Jameson is that it was indeed the right thing to do. Jameson was good. He was extremely honest and efficient. And Sir Humphrey planned to say so. And this is why Sir Humphrey's tactics were so confusing to me at first.
But I should have been patient. He spelled it out.
*Stage One: Express absolute support.
*Stage Two: List all his praiseworthy qualities, especially those that would make him unsuitable for the job.
*Stage Three: Continue to praise those qualities to the point where they become positive vices.
*Stage Four: Mention his bad points by defending and excusing them.
Stage Three is simply done, I learned that day, by oversimplification. You label someone. If for instance, someone is a good man he can seriously be damaged by calling him 'Mr. Clean'. Strange, but true.

"The Complete Yes Prime Minister" - Jonathan Lynn & Anthony Jay,1986