Damian Green

“There are those who say that we can happily ignore the lies and menaces spread on social media, that what appears on screen really doesn't matter, that anything goes on the web, and so on. But such people have their heads in the sand.”

“One of Enoch Powell's wiser remarks was that politicians complaining about the press were like sailors complaining about the sea. It is not the job of newspapers to win elections; it is the job of political parties.”

“We want to see our politicians working together.”

“Few political debates have been as divisive as the European one. I fought as hard as I could on the Remain side, but I believe strongly that as a democrat I should respect the result, and that as a politician it is my duty to make the Brexit settlement as good as possible.”

“People want politicians to address the big issues and if they can do it across the divide of parties then so be it.”

“Given the state of English schools in the 1970s, a national curriculum, Ofsted, regular testing, publication of performance results, have all helped to raise standards by shining a light into the walled garden and letting parents know what is going on inside the school walls.”

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

“In the run-up to the 2014 Scottish referendum, the so-called 'Cybernats' filled the Internet with hatred of their Unionist opponents. The Brexit referendum and its aftermath have followed the same course.”

“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.”

“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.”

“Of course there are people who are unable to work and it's right that they are given the support they need. Frustratingly, though, for many it's a lack of opportunity, not an inability or lack of will to get a job, that keeps them trapped in unemployment.”

“Britain can thrive in the post-Brexit era, but maintaining close links with our neighbours will make a significant contribution to national success.”

“Governments are supposed to operate under a system of collective responsibility. It means that in public, all Ministers support the agreed policies of the Government, and each other.”

“I now take security precautions at my office and at home, which were simply not necessary when I first became an MP.”

“Just as strong Labour supporters in the 1980s could not come to terms with the fact that most people did not hate Mrs Thatcher, so many of my closest Conservative friends find it difficult to believe that the messages and style of the past don't work any longer.”

“It is common practice in many countries, such as U.S.A., Denmark and Holland, for different sections of society to set up their own schools, whether they are parents themselves, voluntary groups and charities, or private not-for-profit and for-profit companies.”

“It is imperative the government is held accountable to the people it represents and does not abuse its position in key areas of personal freedom and liberty.”

“If Tony Blair really wants to see a higher education sector that is thriving and growing then he should be releasing universities from the shackles of government control.”

“Without the U.K. contribution to policing and anti-terrorism, the whole of Europe would be less safe.”

“Like everyone, I am concerned about the Irish border and the Good Friday Agreement, but as a Kent MP I am also concerned to keep lorries flowing freely through the Port of Dover and the Channel Tunnel. If they don't, Kent becomes a lorry park and life for those of us who live there becomes very unpleasant.”