I would like to sound like James Mason. I reckon if I'd had a better voice I could have been prime minister. It is the most irritating voice in public life.

I am not against Israel, I am against Zionists.

I loathe and detest all this trivialisation of politics.

If I blew my nose the Daily Express and the Daily Mail would say that I am trying to spread germ warfare.

I have only ever borrowed money for investment. I have been sound money all my life.

I think George Bush is the most corrupt American president since Harding in the Twenties. He is not the legitimate president. This really is a completely unsupportable government and I look forward to it being overthrown as much as I looked forward to Saddam Hussein being overthrown.

When I was leader of the GLC, by the time I had been in control for three years, the difference in pay between the cleaner and the director general was a four-to-one ratio. I find that attractive.