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.

I don't want to crawl over the entrails of past disputes.

I've never been much given to little social cliques.

If someone is being very cheeky, it can be quite fun to deal with that situation.

It's a cowardly form of politics to use my spouse to beat me.

Even youngish men can acquire wisdom as time goes by.

I pride myself on being courteous to people, and trying to fashion good relations.