A legislature cannot be effective while suffering from public scorn.
I never aspired to be Speaker simply so I could say, 'I am the Speaker of the House of Commons,' and tell my children that.
The prime minister's job is to captain his team, his party and his government.
For far too long the House of Commons has been run as little more than a private club by and for gentleman amateurs.
Even youngish men can acquire wisdom as time goes by.
There are people who are just very, very sniffy and snobby and have always sort of looked down their noses at me.