The comedian and impressionist Mike Yarwood who has died at 82 was known amongst other things in the 1960s and 1970s for doing impressions of Labour leader and Prime Minister (1964-70; 1974-76). He appeared with Wilson’s trademark pipe (he preferred cigars the pipe was a proletarian prop) and spoke Wilson.
One catchphrase was ‘to be perfectly frank, honest and reasonable’. History has been relatively kind to Wilson but this is not exactly how many who were active socialists at the time might recall him.
Wilson sometimes said that Yarwood did a better impression of him that he did himself but took it in good part enjoying humorous repartee, at least in public.
Perhaps those who don’t remember either Wilson and Yarwood might ponder the subject of Starmer and the comic
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