I want Britain to be a global financial centre but I want it to be properly regulated.

[Banks] have a clear obligation to help get this country off its addiction to debt because they sure as hell helped to get this country addicted to debt.

One of the big problems we have in this country is that not enough people understand how important it is to save, understand the details of credit card statements, to be able to compare different APRs and the like. I support the idea.

Believe me, I understand that most higher rate taxpayers are not the super-rich.

Each time I come it's amazing to watch the development of this incredible country [China].

Britain cannot afford to cut itself off from what is going on in the world, we are too interconnected with what is going on, we have a powerful history and tradition of taking an interest in what is going on in the world, we've also got a very real interest in the future, in remaining connected.

We can help people. We have got to move this economy from its over-dependence on debt. People should have manageable debts, a manageable mortgage.