Quotes from Damian Green

The Conservatives must never give the impression we exclude any group of British citizens.

The 'Britishness' debate too often descends into worthy flannel about common values and mutual respect. To give a hard edge to what it means to be British, you have to say what is un-British, and, if necessary, legislate to stop anyone committing un-British acts. Forced marriage falls squarely into this category.

I find it a touch hypocritical that some who argue that we should not leave the E.U. Single Market are prepared to countenance the break-up of the U.K. Single Market, which is vitally important to the prosperity of all parts of the U.K.

I find it obvious that, in a first-past-the-post electoral system, we need to head towards the centre.

Immigration has been a sensitive and sometimes toxic issue for more than half a century.

I have many times made public information that the government wanted to keep secret, information that the public has a right to know.

Very often the best chance for a child in an inner city to acquire an excellent start in education is the church school.

Too many of our children are being left behind, especially in our inner city schools.

No one should be written off because of their background. This is a moral proposition but it is also an important political lesson.

Council house sales defined the new freedoms that transformed this country in the 1980s.

The generosity of spirit that is usually shown by advanced democracies disappears when the public feel two things: that their government is not in control of the situation, and that their daily lives are being severely disrupted by the consequences of this lack of control.

Don't make generalisations about any group of children. For years I have felt angry with those who argue that Shakespeare and the rest of the classic canon are irrelevant to inner-city kids.

There are big issues facing this country. Not just Brexit... but counter-terrorism, improving the world of work, the issue of social care.

No British Prime Minister should be treated with barely concealed disrespect by our allies.

The best slogan Conservatives have always used is 'One Nation.' You cannot have One Nation if British people who happen to have a particular religious belief or ethnic background are excluded. So no true Conservative can be a racist or religious bigot.

The jury system is one of the few ideas from the 13th century which still flourishes in the 21st century.

People do not want the state keeping information on its citizens for some ill-defined and unproven benefit.

It is a sad law of politics that just because a problem exists, it doesn't mean a solution exists.

There are certain practices that may be historically acceptable to some people but that have no place in our culture.

Tony Blair in opposition recognised that as long as the economy remained a 'Tory issue,' which Labour could at best play down, Labour was going to lose. So he turned it into a genuine battleground. We need to do the same on the big so-called 'Labour issues.'

By incentivising the building of more new retirement properties, we can take a step towards unblocking the housing market and ultimately help first-time buyers onto the ladder.

A significant number of people over the age of 65 would like to downsize into more suitable accommodation, yet they are unable to do so. This causes a bottleneck in the housing market that ripples down to first-time buyers.

Old-fashioned types used to mutter about whether someone was officer-class material. It's a phrase stuck firmly in the 1950s, but it expresses an underlying truth: either you are fit to lead or you are not.

London is undoubtedly one of the most exciting places in the world in which to work, attracting hundreds of thousands of people of all abilities and backgrounds each year seeking to make a name for themselves.