Kenneth Clarke Quotations

I am sorry to upset my colleagues by saying we wasted four years in opposition, but if you do get so badly defeated as a party you do have to face up to some painful facts and you do have to change.

Of course I'd have loved to be Prime Minister. But I'm not nursing a grievance.

However, we do not lack anti-terrorist laws. I do not believe that the recent London bombs were the result of any deficiencies in our legal system.

Energetic action on debt would make a radical difference to the prospects of many of the poorest countries in the world, at no practical cost to creditor countries.

It would be immoral to walk away from the consequences of our actions, leaving behind anarchy and civil war in Iraq.

I don't think at my age... you can start ruling people out in politics.

The Blair government has lowered the standing of politics and politicians in our country.

I am getting frustrated by the fact that we have been out of office for eight years. I desperately want to lead the Conservative Party to make quicker progress back into power.

If the prime minister really believes it, he must be the only person left who thinks that the recent bombs in London had no connection at all with his policy in Iraq.

My sense is that the majority of Conservatives share my reservations about how we got into Iraq.

The political health of Britain has deteriorated very sharply. The Conservative Party must do something about it. I am the man to do it.

I don't think we're expecting anything big in the way of surf.

I think it sends a message that they are looking for a younger leader.

Some of you have been injured, ... Some of you still have injuries.

We now no longer know what the Attorney General's opinion is, despite the press speculation there has been that he is deeply disturbed.

understandable exasperation growing on the part of the tobacco industry, which is manufacturing a lawful product...

We're planning to send a copy of our rates bill to Mr Prescott and we encourage people to tell him what they think.

Is there legitimacy in the doubt that possibly this was all decided on, has been remorselessly unfolding for many months? I think many people think it has,

I shan't lose my paunch. I like my relaxed lifestyle. I like food. Because of my relaxed lifestyle I haven't suffered from the stress my colleagues do. I seem able to outlast them all!

The British government and the prime minister personally must use every ounce of influence they have in Washington to try to prevent that from happening,

They suddenly thought they had someone with the X-factor.

In this day and age it is quite ridiculous to say I am too old.

I cannot remember a time in opposition - I am talking about the last four years - when we have done less work on policy and more on slogans. But because of my European views I wasn't allowed to participate.

With the greatest respect, we do not make the criminal law on the basis of opinion polls. A majority of 9:1 could be in favour of a ban in my constituency, but I would not regard that as conclusive, and I hope that we never would. If we start having opinion polls about all the unpleasant and distasteful habits and customs of some members of society, and suggesting that their findings should be made part of the criminal law, foxhunting would come way down the list, and quite a lot of strange enactments would have to go through the House.

I have certainly not got re-elected to retire, and I shall certainly start trying to push my influence in politics as far as I possibly can

A balanced tone on Europe will free us to address in depth the domestic economic and social agenda which we neglected throughout the last Parliament.

In these home affairs things I think occasionally it's the duty of politicians on both sides to turn round to the tabloids and right-wing newspapers and say 'you have your facts wrong and you're whipping up facts which are inaccurate

I have acquired a deep and abiding respect for all those engaged in the difficult business of commerce.

I am certainly not a blogger. Quite a large proportion of them are nuts and extremists - with the honourable exception of the culture secretary.

I trust that whoever leads the Conservative Party actually pays regard to my advice on how we should conduct ourselves and I personally will obviously support whoever eventually wins.

The Conservative Party have got to ask themselves, 'How do we persuade people who at the moment are voting Labour and Liberal Democrat to vote Conservative

I have never read it. You should not waste your time.

I look forward to the day when the Westminster Parliament is just a council chamber in Europe

The disastrous decision to invade Iraq has made Britain a more dangerous place,