Harold MacMillan Quotations

It is, of course, a trite observation to say that we live "in a period of transition." Many people have said this at many times. Adam may well have made the remark to Eve on leaving the Garden of Eden.

Stop-Go seemed more sensiblr than using the brake and accelerator at the same time - a practice that later became fashionable.

You can hardly say boo to a goose in the House of Commons now without cries of "Ungentlemanly," "Not fair" and all the rest.

It's no use crying over spilt summits.

It's a good thing to be laughed at. It's better than to be ignored.

After long experience of politics, I have never found that there is any inhibition caused by ignorance as regards criticism.

Although I am still in favour of a National Government in these difficult times, and shall probably be found in the great majority of cases in the Government Lobby, there are some issues that have arisen, or are likely to arise, upon which I am unable to give the Government the support which it has, perhaps, the right to expect from those receiving the Government Whip. It occurs to me, therefore, that it would perhaps be more satisfactory if I was no longer regarded as being among the supporters of the present Administration.

A successful current affairs television show seems to be more and more a cross between a music hall turn and a scene in a torture chamber.

Revolt by all means, but only on one issue at a time. To do more would be to confuse the whips.

Churchill was fundamentally what the English call unstable - by which they mean anybody who has that touch of genius which is inconvenient in normal times.