John Redwood

“The whole point of politics is to stay in touch, to be relevant to modern problems, to offer people relief from current worries, to give them hope based on contemporary experience.”

“Leaving the E.U. will enable the U.K. to undertake a major campaign for import substitution.”

“I was the original moderniser in the Conservative Party, telling it, 'No change, no chance.'”

“When teachers try to teach, nurses try to nurse, small businesses try to serve their clients and the police try to arrest criminals, there is always a regulator or three breathing down their necks. Conservatives want to make people's lives easier.”

“Most agree, whatever their party political position, that the West can and should open its agricultural markets more fully to the products of the poorer countries of the globe. They are agricultural societies that need our markets more than our charity.”

“The UK downgrade will come as little surprise to many. It does not appear to be occurring because the UK is cutting its deficit too far and too fast.”

“The E.U. referendum is a major watershed in U.K. history. It will be important for the future of the Conservative party. It will be even more important for the future of our country.”

“A growth strategy requires tax rates that people are prepared to pay and cannot avoid or do not wish to avoid by going offshore or leaving the country.”

“Under Conservative, Labour, and coalition governments, the U.K. was never willing to accept all the moves to union or all the requirements of the E.U.”

“At the next General Election, voters face a clear choice: deregulation and less interference in everyday life with the Conservatives, or yet more regulation and interference under Mr Blair.”

“What is good enough for Scotland is good enough for England. Fairness demands no less.”

“We think it would be safer if the Bank of England had responsibility for solvency regulation of UK-based banks, as well as having an overall duty to keep the system solvent. Otherwise, there could be dangerous delays if a banking crisis did hit.”

“There is not necessarily a good reason why a regulator should have to be involved in product design and marketing for rich and sophisticated investors. We recommend that such investors should be able to sign a piece of paper, which allows them to go ahead and buy unregulated products at their own risk.”

“Young men do not want to have to take a consent form and a lawyer on a date, just as young women have every right to go on a date and to say 'No', having it respected.”

“To me, politics is about the future.”

“If Scotland is to have the power to fix its income tax rate for the whole country, England needs a body that can fix its income tax rate for the whole country.”

“When the telecoms system in the U.K. was made to compete and to seek private capital, many worried that the service would get worse and there would be a further shortage of investment. They were wrong on both counts. Technology was transformed, and investment soared. Prices went down; choice and usage went up.”

“I am always very grateful that I do not have to rely for my meal on a nationalised dinner service working as well as the Post Office on strike day.”

“The Irish move to a very low corporation tax has generated very significant revenue growth, considerably in excess of Britain's, where a slower economy has been combined with a number of stealth taxes.”

“The government would also be wise to press on with its further measures to promote growth, as it will want to outperform the low figures in this outlook. This will mean delivering measures to ease money and credit and to stimulate demand.”