If we don't get a grip on government spending, there will be no growth.

I think Britain needs to get out there on the world stage and make itself heard. And for much of my political career, there has been a sense of retreat from the world stage because of what happened in the Iraq War.

China is absolutely one of the biggest players in the world and if Britain wants to be connected to the world it has to be connected to China.

Just as it wouldn't be right to only to have an economic dialogue with China, equally you shouldn't restrict your dialogue solely to issues around, say, human rights. You can raise all those issues, and that is what reflects a mature discussion. So I don't think essentially we have to choose between being partners in China's economic development and being proud defenders of British values.

I did meet Mickey Mouse in California, and he seems to be writing the Labour party's economic policy at the moment.

Britain has no divine right to be one of the richest countries in the world.

The rise in world oil prices has been larger than anyone forecast.