When I started out as Prime Minister I wanted to please all the people all the time. By the end I was wondering if I pleased any of the people any of the time.

I'm the f***ing Prime Minister!

I happen to think it's the politics that makes you electable, but the reason for that is politicians sometimes talk about electability as if it's just a matter of conning the public. Actually, it's a matter of persuading the public, and in my experience, usually, the public gets it right.

I haven't come to the conclusion that centrist politics is wrong or dead. On the contrary. I think it's very much alive - but it needs to be given a renewal, a revival, and a muscularity which it presently lacks.

Society works by putting opportunity and responsibility together.

I say to the Taliban: surrender the terrorists; or surrender power. It's your choice.

I'm afraid that's in the nature of modern politics - it's as much conducted by abuse as argument.