YES MINISTER – THE GOVERNMENT’S WOLSELEY WEDGES

For those of us of a certain age, the prospect of a general election evokes images of Rover 3.5-litre P5 saloons arriving outside 10 Downing Street. However, during the 1970s, another official car conveyed junior ministers to Whitehall in a chauffeur-driven style. It was, of course, the Wolseley “Wedge”.

The 18-22 replaced the “Landcrab” on the 26th of March 1975, with British Leyland promoting it as “The biggest news since the Mini”. As with its predecessor, the cheaper versions wore separate Austin and Morris badges, and the Wolseley name adorned the 2.2-litre six-cylinder flagship.

Motor Sport regarded the Wolseley as “the finest car to come out of British Leyland since the XJ6”, while The Daily Telegraph thought it “suitable as a business car, with or without chauffeur”. BL gained a great deal of positive publicity when HM Government ordered a fleet of 20 black Wolseleys with automatic transmission, registrations KYT 1-20P.

The flagship Wedge followed a tradition of BL cars in official service. During the 1972-1973 financial year, the Government ordered four Wolseley Six Landcrabs at a total cost of £4,754. In the 1973-1974 period, they commissioned another 20 for £31,225, and between 1974 and 1975, they ordered 16 more at £33,755.

By 1975, the Government Car Service had 202 vehicles, mainly Rover P5Bs and the Wolseley Six and Wedge. According to HM Government: “The availability of cars to Ministers and officials is determined by criteria of priority of need.” In addition:

The use of these cars instead of public transport is authorised only when it is essential to enable the individual concerned to do his work more effectively and economically, or to avoid a disproportionate loss of official time. Many of the vehicles are employed at times of day or in localities where public transport does not operate. The need for fuel economy is borne very much in mind by the officers responsible for authorising the use of these cars.

By 1976, one politician noted:

Seventy-two chauffeur-driven cars are currently available for use by Ministers of the Crown—20 Rover 3·5s, 20 Wolseley 2200s, 31 Wolseley 6s and one Austin 2200. I wonder which Minister is relegated to the Austin?

As for the day-to-day maintenance of the fleet, a government spokesperson told the House of Commons:

The current estimated cost of operating these vehicles is £760,000. This sum includes wages, overtime, insurance, superannuation, fuel, repairs and maintenance, depreciation, garaging, rates, security measures, administration, overheads and interest on capital employed. Ministers are not normally authorised to use official cars for private or domestic purposes other than for their own journeys between home or station or airport, and office within a limited area.

However, “Exceptionally, wives or husbands of Ministers may also use cars for official or semi-official purposes associated with their husbands’ or wives’ duties.”

Today, Simon Hayes of the Leyland Princess & Ambassador Owners’ Club says: “Most were scrapped in the mid-80s, sadly.” Only two government Wolseleys survive today. Both are currently off the road, and we can hope that one will be restored.

As Sir Humphrey might have said to the prospect of a black Wolseley returning to the road: “Yes, Minister.”

With thanks to: Simon Hayes and https://www.leylandprincess.co.uk/