When I saw how the European Union was developing, it was very obvious what they had in mind was not democratic. In Britain, you vote for a government so the government has to listen to you, and if you don't like it you can change it.

Democracy is not just voting every 5 years and watching 'Big Brother' in between and wondering why nothing happens. Democracy is what we do and say where we live and work

I'm a democrat - I don't support Bush, I don't support Blair, I don't support Bin Laden.

If you're going to make sense of politics you have to have a historical perspective and also recognise that you have to work with people you don't agree with.

The Civil Service is a bit like a rusty weathercock. It moves with opinion then it stays where it is until another wind moves it in a different direction

An MP is the only job where you have 70,000 employers, and only one employee.

It is obvious I shall have to abandon my hopes of getting the Queen's head off the stamps.