For me, socialism has always been about liberty and solidarity, but also about responsibility.

Contrary to what people say, my wife never turned me away from the presidency. She told me to reflect on it and do what I wanted.

The problem of how we finance the welfare state should not obscure a separate issue: if each person thinks he has an inalienable right to welfare, no matter what happens to the world, that's not equity, it's just creating a society where you can't ask anything of people.

Fundamentally, American society is composed of individuals who don't go out of their way to do each other favours.

The European model is in danger if we obliterate the principle of personal responsibility.

The unions still have a job to do, representing their members' interests to governments and parliaments. And I think collective agreements still have a role, alongside markets and laws.

I would not be opposed to devising a new system of pensions, in which one part was based on collective provision, but which also gave incentives for people to take out an additional, personal plan.