bobs your uncle

[zzxxee]

where does this saying come from?

[zzxxee]

lol x

[SeaJayPea]

Good grief, what on earth did the other answerers say?

The accepted reason, although nothing seems to exist that guarantees it, is that Lord Salisbury, when Prime Minister in 1887, appointed Arthur Balfour to the then prestigious position of Chief Secretary for Ireland, Salisbury, real name Robert Cecil, was Balfour's uncle. And there you go.

But there's nothing about to prove that.

[zzxxee]

thanx

[fredpuli47]

There's bit more to it than one appointment, Every time Saisbury was in a position to do so, he promoted his nephew to yet another, higher, post. And the greatest post, Prime Minister, was awarded to Balfour on Salisbury retiring as Prime Minister. The expression 'Bob's your uncle' was , reportedly, known in Whitehall talk in Balfour's lifetime but not it was not put into print until Balfour was, conveniently, dead and therefore could not sue for the libellous innuendo in it.