I get a lot of letters from people.
— George Osborne
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.
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.
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 foundations of a strong economy don't rest alone on the decisions of Chancellors or the spending programmes of government.
I want to see genuine talent rewarded.
The British people think that if someone is disabled, then they should get all the care and support that we can offer.
You cannot tackle Britain's debts without tackling the unreformed welfare system.
If we don't get a grip on government spending, there will be no growth.
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.
I understand the damage the expenses crisis has done to Parliament, and the paramount importance of restoring trust in our politics.
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.
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.
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.
I would say I have taken substantive action to make things easier for people.
It's normally the kiss of death to be identified as a rising star, or someone to watch.
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.
Britain has no divine right to be one of the richest countries in the world.
I want Britain to be the home of successful competitive and stable financial services.
I think the British people have a strong sense of what is fair.
I believe in public services.
I have done everything I can to move Britain out of the financial danger zone.
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.
Autism is a very serious condition.
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.
Some things never change, suck up to the government and you get an honour.
Well British pension funds have not been investing the savings of British people in British infrastructure.
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.
I reject absolutely the idea that people should know their place, and know their class.
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.
Believe me, I understand that most higher rate taxpayers are not the super-rich.
Cutting budget deficits can never be just an exercise in economics.
A generous basic state pension is the least a civilized society should offer those who have worked hard and saved through their whole lives.
Every day as Chancellor I see alerts telling me of risks around the world.
I think you can look at the British economy with confidence.
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.
I'm not going out to parties every night.
Most successful politicians don't let the job swamp their lives.
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.
