“I think the British have the distinction above all other nations of being able to put new wine into old bottles without bursting them.”

“This historic general election, which showed that the British are well able to distinguish between patriotism and Toryism, brought Clement Attlee to the prime ministership. In the succeeding five years, Labor inaugurated the National Health Service, the first and boldest experiment in socialized medicine. It took into public ownership all the vital (and bankrupted) utilities of the coal, gas, electricity and railway industries. It even nibbled at the fiefdoms and baronies of private steel, air transport and trucking. It negotiated the long overdue independence of India. It did all this, in a country bled white by the World War and subject to all manner of unpopular rationing and controls, without losing a single midterm by-election (a standard not equaled by any government of any party since). And it was returned to office at the end of a crowded term.”

“Democracy means government by discussion, but it is only effective if you can stop people talking.”

“Winston Churchill - fifty per cent genius fifty per cent bloody fool.”

“I think the British have the distinction above all other nations of being able to put new wine into old bottles without bursting them.”

“The House of Lords is like a glass of champagne that has stood for 5 days.”