Britain wants the single currency to be a success. It is massively in our interests that we have a stable financial system on our doorstep.

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

A generous basic state pension is the least a civilized society should offer those who have worked hard and saved through their whole lives.

I reject absolutely the idea that people should know their place, and know their class.

You cannot tackle Britain's debts without tackling the unreformed welfare system.

You need to have a state pension that doesn't drag more and more people into means-testing each year and make it very difficult for people on low to medium term incomes to save and not see their savings clawed away.

The Foreign Office is a very important arm of the British state and I think Britain has a fantastic diplomatic service. We are the only country in the world spending 2% of our national income on defence and 0.7% of our national income on aid. We are the only country in the world doing both of those things.