George Osborne's Quotes

It's perfectly reasonable in a coalition between two political parties that you get supporters of those parties you know stressing the things they want to stress.

Just as we should never balance the budget on the backs of the poor, so it is an economic delusion to think you can balance it only on the wallets of the rich.

Of all the public services, education is the one I'm most interested in. You get a more dynamic economy, you deal with most social problems, and it's morally right.

The positive news is that the British economy is continuing to grow and is creating jobs. And it is positive news too that at a time of real international instability we are a safe haven in the storm.

There was a real fear that a euro-zone bank might fail, that we'd have a sovereign debt problem in one of the larger European economies. That's dissipated, thanks largely to the action of the European Central Bank.

Unless they have disabilities to cope with, no family should get more from living on benefits than the average family gets from going out to work. No more open-ended chequebook.

Well can I just say unlike my predecessors, Conservative and Labour, I have set up an independent body that studies whether what I'm saying is true, whether I've met the targets that I set out.

Well you know I've attracted a lot of criticism by, for example, suggesting that child benefit should be taken away from higher rate taxpaying families.

You know the illusion of the cheap money is over and now Britain has to go out there and graft and earn its way and create wealth and prosperity in a very competitive world.

You really have to try hard to create space and, at least for a time, stop the political world from rushing in. The important thing is to remain sane.

Tax cuts should be for life, not just for Christmas.

The British people think that if someone is disabled, then they should get all the care and support that we can offer.

The Conservative party, the modern Conservative party, is on the side of people who want to work hard and get on.

Well British pension funds have not been investing the savings of British people in British infrastructure.

If you want to change the way your banking system is regulated, if you want to learn the mistakes of what's gone wrong, then you have to change your government.

A generous basic state pension is the least a civilized society should offer those who have worked hard and saved through their whole lives.

Autism is a very serious condition.

Believe me, I understand that most higher rate taxpayers are not the super-rich.

Britain has no divine right to be one of the richest countries in the world.

Cutting budget deficits can never be just an exercise in economics.

Every day as Chancellor I see alerts telling me of risks around the world.

Everyone in our society has had to make a contribution towards dealing with the debts.

I believe in public services.

I believe that I'm entitled to regard my pre-political life as off-limits in terms of what can be looked at and judged.

I didn't come from a traditional Tory background; it was urban and metropolitan.

I get a lot of letters from people.

I have done everything I can to move Britain out of the financial danger zone.

I reject absolutely the idea that people should know their place, and know their class.

I support gay marriage. I support gay marriage because I believe Conservatives support the institutions of commitment.

I think the British people have a strong sense of what is fair.

I think you can look at the British economy with confidence.

I understand the damage the expenses crisis has done to Parliament, and the paramount importance of restoring trust in our politics.

I want Britain to be a global financial centre but I want it to be properly regulated.

I want Britain to be the home of successful competitive and stable financial services.

I want to see genuine talent rewarded.