All the way through, we have been willing to take risks, provided at the end of it we can get a decent lasting settlement in Northern Ireland

The understanding which has driven New Labour's reform is to put the individual citizen - the patient, the parent, the pupil, the law abiding citizen - at the centre of each public service, with the service reformed to meet their individual requirements

The Spanish PM rang me to say: 'I have the support of only 4 per cent of the people.' I said, 'Crikey, that's even less than think Elvis Presley is still alive.'

Conflict is not inevitable, but disarmament is... everyone now accepts that if there is a default by Saddam the international community must act to enforce its will.

What I will say to people is what you require are rules and not prejudices.

Examine the legacy that we inherited and what we did. We had boom-and-bust economics and a doubled national debt.

Of particular importance to us is the recognition... that what we want is a Europe of nations, not a federal super-state.