We have to put reduction of health inequalities at the centre of our public health strategy and that will require action on the social determinants of health.

Empowerment of individuals and communities is absolutely central. Getting the community involved in organising their own destiny has got to be a key part of it.

The lower you are in the hierarchy the worse your health, the higher you are, the better your health.

Our elected politicians do what they judge is the right thing to do. And if we disagree then I'll show them the evidence of why I disagree.

I don't blame people for smoking when I see a social gradient in smoking. I say we need to understand why is it the lower you are in the hierarchy the more likely you are to smoke. So we need to address the causes of the causes.

We have to put reduction of health inequalities at the centre of our public health strategy and that will require action on the social determinants of health.

Low income is related to poorer housing, poorer diet, fewer social amenities, worse working conditions. (...) After adjustment for age, sex, race, smoking, alcohol consumption, sleep habits, leisure-time physical activity, chest pain, diabetes, or cancer, there was still an increase risk of 1.6 for those with inadequate incomes.