Kenneth Clarke Quotes

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

  Kenneth Clarke

  Europe, Political, Looks

  109 Copy quote

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

  Kenneth Clarke

  Waste, Economics, Should

  18 Copy quote

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

  Kenneth Clarke

  Nuts, Culture, Proportion

  "Press regulation 'needs state support'" by Owen Bowcott, www.theguardian.com. January 16, 2012.

  9 Copy quote

• 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

  Kenneth Clarke

  Home, Thinking, Wings

  6 Copy quote

• 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

  Kenneth Clarke

  Party, People, Voting

  7 Copy quote

• 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.

  Kenneth Clarke

  Trust, Party, Winning

  "Davis is as dead as a DD" by Bob Roberts, www.mirror.co.uk. October 19, 2005.

  8 Copy quote

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

  Kenneth Clarke

  Party, Men, Aggravation

  8 Copy quote

• 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.

  Kenneth Clarke

  Europe, Depth, Agendas

  "Edited highlights of Ken Clarke's address". www.theguardian.com. June 26, 2001.

  6 Copy quote

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

  Kenneth Clarke

  Business, Abiding, Difficult

  6 Copy quote

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

  Kenneth Clarke

  War, Iraq, Leaving

  Kenneth Clarke's speech, www.theguardian.com. August 31, 2005.

  8 Copy quote

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

  Kenneth Clarke

  Nursing, Prime, Ministers

  "In his own words". www.theguardian.com. January 18, 2009.

  9 Copy quote

• 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.

  Kenneth Clarke

  Country, Differences, Perspective

  10 Copy quote

• 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

  Kenneth Clarke

  Trying, Politics, Influence

  6 Copy quote

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

  Kenneth Clarke

  Thinking, People, Age

  4 Copy quote

• 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.

  Kenneth Clarke

  Party, Eight, Years

  "Clarke lines up backers for leadership" by Matthew Tempest, www.theguardian.com. August 30, 2005.

  7 Copy quote

• 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.

  Kenneth Clarke

  Believe, Law, Bombs

  "Full text: Kenneth Clarke's speech", www.theguardian.com. August 31, 2005.

  7 Copy quote

• 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.

  Kenneth Clarke

  Sorry, Party, Years

  16 Copy quote

• 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.

  Kenneth Clarke

  Hunting, Law, House

  4 Copy quote

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