Kwasi Kwarteng

“History is of all subjects the one which is most engaged with people's perceptions of themselves, identity, politics, all those things which shape the modern world.”

“We are often told that capitalism is in crisis, but look around the world and you'll see that it has never been so buoyant.”

“The bull market, rising prices, earning lots of money, make it seem as if the good days will never end. When prices are falling and there is a recession, that also feels as though it will last for ever. Politics is the same. People simply can't imagine changing circumstances.”

“In fact, the fast-changing, dynamic character of London makes perpetual Labour domination unlikely. Things are so fast-moving it would be impossible to say what the situation might look like in five years, let alone 10 or 15.”

“Of all the meals that represented British culture, perhaps none captured the imagination more than the Christmas pudding. It was the Victorians who firmly fixed the traditional plum pudding as a festive dish.”

“Using food as a way of understanding empire is highly effective. Food knows no barriers of race, gender or even time.”

“There seems to be no end of books about the British empire, and the fascination it holds for historians of all descriptions is inexhaustible.”

“I think that running empires as a way of ordering the world is a flawed model.”

“The name Noel Skelton is largely forgotten today, but his legacy in the Conservative Party in the 20th century was enormous.”

“Aspiration, opportunity, and a stake in society are things which combine education, decent healthcare and the fruits of a capitalist system where individuals contribute to society, while also pursuing their natural inclination to improve their lot in life.”

“I've always thought my main concern is to alleviate the burdens on people, who were earning less money, perhaps than £80,000.”

“The extent to which lawyers and judges are interfering in politics is something that concerns many people.”

“Any book on empire will omit, by necessity, vast tracts of the imperial experience, and so critics can easily find facts and details to contradict an author's bold generalisations.”

“I think interventions tend to be wrong. That doesn't mean to say that every intervention has been a disaster, but it does mean that generally they tend to screw up.”

“Mansa Musa never spoke in public, and whispered everything to an interpreter; he was also never allowed to be seen eating a meal.”

“I don't see how a lowering of VAT helps much, in terms of stimulus. VAT is a form of sales tax. It gets paid when you spend. A stimulus should put money in your pocket before you have actually spent the money.”