I will listen to any argument put to me.

I would say I have taken substantive action to make things easier for people.

I'm not going out to parties every night.

If someone believes that living on benefits is a lifestyle choice, then we need to make them think again.

If we don't get a grip on government spending, there will be no growth.

In opposition, you move to the centre. In government, you move the centre.

It's normally the kiss of death to be identified as a rising star, or someone to watch.

It's not easy cutting welfare bills. It's not easy cutting the deficit.

Most successful politicians don't let the job swamp their lives.

Some things never change, suck up to the government and you get an honour.

The Conservative Party mustn't sound like the old man on the park bench who says things were better in 1985, or 1955, or 1855.

The foundations of a strong economy don't rest alone on the decisions of Chancellors or the spending programmes of government.

The rise in world oil prices has been larger than anyone forecast.

They all said I was a very young guy. Well there is nothing I can do about that but with each day that passes the problem solves itself.

We need to think deeply about whether we can sustain banks that are not only too big to fail, but potentially too big to bail.

You cannot tackle Britain's debts without tackling the unreformed welfare system.

I had the closest thing I have ever had to an out-of-body experience lying in bed one morning. I turned on the 'Today' programme and item four on the news was: 'The shadow chancellor has ruled himself out of the leadership.' I lay there thinking that's interesting, then I realised it was me.

I think the British people are very, very attached to the idea that the health service is free at the point of use. But there is no reason why every doctor, nurse and teacher in this country has to be employed by the state.

I'm a Conservative who believes in lower taxes. They lead to a more enterprising economy. But I'm not somebody who believes you can fund lower taxes by borrowing more money.

I've learned to be true to yourself, stick to the big arguments, don't get distracted by the everyday kerfuffle that is in the nature of any democratic system.