It is a significant gamble to assume that troops in our U.K. Armed Forces would volunteer for a Scottish Defence Force.

We ask the military to be in a position that, if we ask them to do a task, they are absolutely able to do it for us.

The great western error about the Taliban is to assume homogeneity.

Negotiating with the Taliban must be done from a position of strength. Negotiating from a position of weakness would be a disaster.

Talking to the Taliban is a process the Afghans have to manage. It is their country.

Britain is one of the world's most open economies. More dependent on trade than any other major country. Our success depends on our competitiveness and our competitiveness depends on raising our productivity, as our competitors are raising theirs.

The North Koreans or Chinese may have a million men in uniform but it's about how you perform.

It is in all our interests that the arteries of global trade are kept free, open and running.

When ministers in this government talk about investing in education and skills, about making the planning system work; about employment law reform and delivering transport and power generation and broadband communication infrastructure, we are talking about raising Britain's productivity.

Disruption to the flow of oil through the Straits of Hormuz would threaten regional and global economic growth. Any attempt by Iran to close the Straits would be illegal and unsuccessful.