Quotes from Kenneth Clarke

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.

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.

Jonathan Hill is an old friend of mine; I have worked with him for many years and know him to be a man of outstanding ability who has never sought a public profile.

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

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

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.

Britain's political voice depends on our role as a leading and influential member of the E.U. If we leave, we are of less value to our allies and of less concern to our enemies. We need the strongest voice we can get in the dangerous modern world.

I am a firm believer in open justice, and an opponent of closed justice in any normal circumstances. But I am also an opponent of legal purism, and have no time for institutionalised mythmaking - whether from the authoritarian right or the liberal left.

I'm notorious for only using my mobile phone for outgoing calls: nobody knows my London number and I certainly don't do anything online.

Locking people up without reducing the risk of them committing new crimes against new victims the minute they get out does not make for intelligent sentencing.

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.