[on Queen Mother] Our country is the richer for her life and the poorer at her death.

Of course there are regrets. I shall regret always that I found my own authentic voice in politics. I was too conservative, too conventional. Too safe, too often. Too defensive. Too reactive. Later, too often on the back foot.

When your back is against the wall, there is only one thing to do, and that is turn around and fight.

The argument that someone is a bad man is an inadequate argument for war and certainly an inadequate and unacceptable argument for regime change.

I can't legislate to change human nature.

Ronnie Barker will forever be remembered as one of the great comic actors.

I am walking over hot coals suspended over a deep pit at the bottom of which are a large number of vipers baring their fangs.