If you look at things that really affect people's lives - sport, the arts, charities - they were always at the back of the queue for government money - health, social security, defence, pensions were all way ahead. And each of those areas - sports, the arts, the lottery - got relatively petty cash from the government.

I don't have a shred of regret about entering the exchange-rate mechanism.

Recovery begins from the darkest moment.

There are more myths about Black Wednesday than the Greeks ever created.

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

You've had an extremely weak euro on the foreign exchange markets, you've had a very dubious policy being followed.

If you look at things that really affect people's lives - sport, the arts, charities - they were always at the back of the queue for government money - health, social security, defence, pensions were all way ahead. And each of those areas - sports, the arts, the lottery - got relatively petty cash from the government.