When you stop a dictator, there are always risks. But there are greater risks in not stopping a dictator.

There is no such thing as society, there is a living tapestry of men and women and the beauty of that tapestry, and the quality of our lives, will depend upon how much each of us is prepared to take responsibility for ourselves and to turn round and help, by our own efforts, those who are unfortunate. There's no such thing as entitlement unless someone has first met an obligation

There can be no liberty unless there is economic liberty.

If my critics saw me walking over the Thames they would say it was because I couldn't swim.

It pays to know the enemy - not least because at some time you may have the opportunity to turn him into a friend.

I pay tribute to John Major's achievement in persuading the other 11 Community Heads of Government that they could move ahead to a Social Chapter but not within the treaty and without Britain's participation. It sets a vital precedent. For an enlarged Community can only function if we build in flexibility of that kind... John Major deserves high praise for ensuring at Maastricht that we would not have either a Single Currency or the absurd provisions of the Social Chapter forced upon us: our industry, workforce, and national prosperity will benefit as a result.

Personal virtue is no substitute for political hard-headedness.