The historic role of the Conservative Party is to use the leverage of its political and diplomatic skills to create a fresh balance between the different elements within the state at those times when, for one reason or another, their imbalance threatens to disrupt the orderly development of society.

We have had eight years of consistent and persistent attacks on those four years in government – and on me, personally, but that does not matter – by people who were collectively responsible for those four years.

I don’t think that modesty is the outstanding characteristic of contemporary politics, do you?

Do you know what Margaret Thatcher did in her first Budget? Introduced VAT on yachts! It somewhat ruined my retirement.

If politicians lived on praise and thanks they’d be forced into some other line of business.

We will have to embark on a change so radical, a revolution so quiet and yet so total, that it will go far beyond the programme for a parliament.

Pitt the Younger was a great British Prime Minister. He saved Europe from Napoleon, he was the pilot who weathered the storm. I don’t know whether he’d have done it any better or quicker had he been married.

You mustn’t expect prime ministers to enjoy themselves. If they do, they mustn’t show it – the population would be horrified.

I have always had a hidden wish, a frustrated desire, to run a hotel.

There’s a lot of people I’ve encouraged and helped to get into the House of Commons. Looking at them now, I’m not so sure it was a wise thing to do.