When our backs are against the wall, we must turn around and march forward.

"Government gets things right" does not encourage sales. "Government makes another blunder" does encourage sales, so there's a commercial imperative that pushes sensationalism.

If you look back historically, admittedly a long time ago, there were three Afghan wars in which Britain didn't even come a good second. In more recent years the Russians were there with 120,000 men for ten years.

I think the biggest mistake I made was this wretched ability to see both sides of an argument.

Neil Kinnock's speeches go on for so long because he has nothing to say and so he has no way of knowing when he's finished saying it.

I thought I could do something different from any Conservative prime minister before me. But I couldn't.

You're lucky to head a coalition government. I am a coalition government on my own.