By measuring the proportion of children living with the same parents from birth and whether their parents report a good quality relationship we are driving home the message that social programmes should promote family stability and avert breakdown.

My personal view is always I'm in favour of anything that gives parliament a greater say. That's after all what we were elected for.

We do not celebrate people who have made success out of serious hard work.

Look, I've always said from the word go many years ago that I felt the whole bonus culture, they need to think very carefully about being detached from the rest of the British public.

There is nothing people can throw at me to say: Do this, do that.

Aspiration, it seems, is in danger of becoming the preserve of the wealthy.

I went up to the top of the career ladder and I came down again, I am past all that.