- The most dangerous useful idiots are the ones who have huge legitimacy (and therefore authority) but lack the wisdom or courage. They have convinced themselves that their role is never to 'make the conduct of the Queen's business more difficult'. Their ultimate loyalty is unswervingly to the smooth running of the State.
- Major was the cleverest prime minister I worked for. It sometimes surprises people when I say that because Heath and Thatcher had gone to Oxford. They were both classic lower-or-middle-class scholarship products. I think Major left school when he was 16. He was very much self-taught but very clever, a wonderful negotiator, terrific at knowing people's body language, always had complete control of the brief, thoroughly decent.
- [2017, on Theresa May] She's there because she's there because she's there because she's there. She's not a bad woman.
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