The thing about politics is to plan 10 years ahead, and assume every year is your last.

In 1925, when Britain went back to the gold standard, that was supported by the Conservative Party, the Labour Party, the Bank of England, the civil service, the CBI, the TUC, the Times, the Economist; that consensus was very strong.

Saddam Hussein was a horrible man, and I am pleased he is no longer running Iraq. But the war was wrong.

You could get a cheer by saying: 'Let's withdraw from Afghanistan', but I don't think that's where the public's at. It wouldn't be responsible.

What is even more worrying still is George Osborne's breathtakingly complacent response to today's figures. This is a Chancellor who is in total denial.

For the first time I'm free to be myself.

My mobile phone battery runs out all the time because all the messages come straight to me.