Quotes of All Topics . Occasions . Authors
Like my constituents, I have had to immerse myself in the detail about HS2 precisely because of the massive and permanent impact it would have on the area I represent.
Northern Ireland has a unique place in the Union. As the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement enshrined in law, the people of Northern Ireland can be British, Irish or neither.
People are mistaken if they think the Foreign Office can get you out of jail. We can't, but we will work hard to try and ensure your safety, and that you get a fair trial.
It is often said that fathers can often find it hard to talk about their own feelings so there's no wonder they struggle to speak to their son or daughter about the topic.
Cabinet government rests on the principle of collective responsibility: Ministers debate and argue in private but then hammer out a common policy which they all agree to support.
When Theresa May asked me to resolve policy disagreements between ministers, my power to do that depended on the fact that I was acting on her behalf with her delegated authority.
As our digitally connected world continues to expand, the inherent vulnerabilities in the systems we rely on provide ever greater opportunities for those who want to exploit them.
Our competitors outside Europe are manufacturing goods cheaper and better. Through innovation, other countries are producing new products which we do not make yet, but which we could.
Although I wanted to Remain, I know the E.U. is not perfect. I have attended more than enough of its council meetings and read enough of its commission papers to understand its flaws.
I always enjoy speaking at schools. The questions are usually direct but courteous and designed to elicit an answer rather than to simply impress the friends of whoever is asking them.
The treaties of the European Union say that, once a country has decided to leave, then they are excluded from the treaty after two years, unless there is unanimous agreement to extend that period.
While the circumstances of any one situation are unique, it is clear that many families could have been helped if they had found it easier to talk openly about mental health challenges in the home.
We think it is possible to get the benefits of a customs union but still have the flexibility for the U.K. to pursue an independent trade policy on top of that with other countries outside the E.U.
If we could end the old fashioned idea that feeling down is something to be ashamed of, something that you shouldn't burden others with, we would make our society a much happier and healthier place.
We live in an age of innovation, where digital technology is providing solutions to problems before we've even realised we needed them. We see it every day as we find new ways to travel, eat and shop.
Prisons are out of public sight, and most often out of mind. But the vast majority of prisoners will at some point leave jail and rejoin our communities, which is why what happens inside matters to us all.
I want to see prison numbers come down. We need better custody that cuts reoffending and crime. And we need to ensure judges, magistrates and the public have full confidence in the other penalties available.
Open and fair competition within free markets encourages innovation, meaning fresh perspectives can be applied. The private sector also brings skills and knowledge to bear on what can often be complex issues.
The United Kingdom is already a remarkable success story. So as we navigate global challenges, including the U.K.'s exit from the European Union, we must continue to champion and strengthen the bonds we share.
The threat from cyber criminals and nation states continues to grow. So we need to forge closer partnerships with industry, academia and civil society, and develop the profession to create a more diverse workforce.
As the Chair of the National Security Council Sub-Committee overseeing the CSSF and Prosperity Fund, I am proud of what it has achieved in tackling instability and preventing conflicts that threaten U.K. interests.
In a world of competing conflicts and challenges, the U.K.'s investment in global security, and a willingness to trial new approaches and respond to emerging threats, is an important part of standing up for our values.
After Brexit, the E.U. will no longer legislate for us. All laws will be passed by the U.K. parliament and the devolved legislatures. Parliament will be truly sovereign, with the freedom to accept or reject any new rules.
I agree with those who say that democracies need to work together more effectively to stand up for the liberal democratic model that China is increasingly challenging. It's important for there to be an alliance of democracies.
Sometimes getting something off your chest to someone else is an important step in coping - so you know that you're not alone, you're not failing, and that it is perfectly normal to feel overwhelmed or sad at times. Everybody does.
Like anyone from any party who has stood for election, I've often had the depressing experience of meeting an 18- or 19-year-old new voter on the doorstep and being told: 'I'm not interested in voting' or 'none of this matters to me.'
Many people might wonder why conserving wildlife should be considered so important when there are wider issues of global and national interest, such as conflict and poverty to worry about. The answer is because these issues are interlinked.
In countries that lack a longstanding and entrenched commitment to the rule of law, it can be hard to recruit, train and keep prosecutors and judges who are both independent and effective, even in the face of attempted intimidation or corruption.
Conservatives believe in patriotism, but equally in community and the importance of local identity. We believe in devolution. We believe in localism. We believe that decisions should be taken locally wherever is practical; that communities matter.
The Prosperity Fund has found innovative ways to help developing countries to improve their infrastructure, skills, trade and business environments; introducing to them sustainable models of trade and growth, rather than reliance upon traditional aid.
Time spent travelling was assumed to be unproductive and a monetary value attributed to the minutes that would be saved from a speedier journey that allowed people to get from one office to another more quickly. I've always thought that that case was weak.
The work of the CSSF and Prosperity Fund is guided by the National Security Council. As chair of the National Security Council Sub-Committee that oversees both funds, I am working to ensure that they are accountable and measurable against their intended objectives.
Wildlife crime goes well beyond just a threat to endangered species but also has impacts on our society, economy and security. It undermines efforts to uphold the rule of law, acts as an agent for corruption, creates a barrier to development and fuels global instability.
The closer you get to Number 10 the more you see what a back-breaking job that is, the pressure is absolutely constant and the loss of privacy is almost complete so I don't have ambitions in that direction and there is no vacancy nor likely to be during my time in politics.
While the E.U. Withdrawal Act ensures that Brexit will work for all the devolved nations and our U.K. devolution settlements, the special requirements of Northern Ireland, which uniquely shares a land border with another E.U. member state, present a more formidable challenge.
Both the U.K. and the E.U. have made a sincere commitment to the people of Northern Ireland: there will be no hard border. Equally, as a U.K. government, we could not countenance a future in which a border was drawn in the Irish Sea, separating Northern Ireland from the rest of the U.K.
Moving to a new school, or up a year at an existing school - with new friends, teachers, subjects, rules and expectation - is a big deal for young people. All of us who are adults remember how daunting it was, but we sometimes take it for granted that children will be able to cope with the change.
We could choose to leave as a country split and an economy disjointed, struggling to make our way in a new world outside the E.U. Or we can come together as one United Kingdom, confidently seizing new global opportunities as we build a prosperous, secure nation fit for the future challenges we will face.
There were many reasons why people voted to leave the European Union in 2016. But my impression, having campaigned to remain in the E.U., is that above all else, people throughout this country sought to regain a feeling of control - not just of our laws, but over our lives too, and the people we elect into office.
As the Eurozone takes steps towards closer fiscal and economic integration, and as the E.U. continues to develop, we need to be absolutely clear when it is most appropriate to take decisions at the national or local level, closer to the people affected, and in other cases when it is best to take action at the E.U. or global level.