Britain

It isabouttime wehad anend tothe old Britain, whereall that matters is the privileges you were born with, rather than the potential you actually have.

—Brown, (James) Gordon

We have been prudent for a purpose: a stronger, fairer Britain.

—Brown, (James) Gordon

   I'm Backing Britain.

—Anonymous

Among the smaller islands there is one of fair size that is now called the Isle of Man† There was a great controversy in antiquity concerning the question: to which of the two countries should the island properly belong? Eventually, however, the matter was settled. All agreed that since it allowed poisonous reptiles to live in it, it should belong to Britain.

—Gerald of Wales also called Giraldus Cambrensis

Avery fine city; the four principal streets are the fairest for breadth, and the finest built that I have ever seen in one city together† In a word,'tis the cleanest and beautifullest, and best built city in Britain, London excepted.

—Defoe, Daniel

Chicken masala is now Britain's true national dish, not only because it is the most popular, but because it is a perfect illustration of the way Britain absorbs and adapts external influences.

—Cook, Robin originally Robert Finlayson Cook

   What is our task? To make Britain a fit country for heroes to live in.

—Lloyd George (of Dwyfor), David, 1st Earl

We did it for Britain and for the hell of it.

—Noble, Richard

Say, Britain, could you ever boast,ö Three poets in an age at most? Our chilling climate hardly bears A sprig of bays in fifty years.

—Swift,Jonathan

I wish that I could bring Stonehenge to Nyasaland, to show that there was a time when Britain had a savage culture.

—Banda, Hastings Kamuzu

Great Britain has lost an Empire and not yet found a role. The attempt to playa separate power roleöthat is, a role apart from Europe, based on a special relationship with the United States, on being the head of the Commonwealthöis about to be played out. Her Majesty's Government is now attempting, wisely in my opinion, to re-enter Europe.

—Acheson, Dean Gooderham

Britain is a Morris Minor country, but with Rolls Royce diplomacy.

—Anonymous

Britain must, and I am sure will, stand shoulder-to- shoulder withthe United States of America and peaceful nations across the world in deploying every possible resource to bring to justice the people responsible, and make sure terrorism never prevails.

—Blair,Tony (Anthony Charles Lynton)

Britain has lived for too long on borrowed time, borrowed money, and even borrowed ideas.

—Baron

If frequent teabreaks and other manifestations of disguised leisure are regarded as goodsöand economics suggests that they be so regardedötheir inclusion in any index of output per capita might go some way to enhance Britain's comparative performance.

—Mishan, E J

The House of Peers, throughout the war, Did nothing in particular, And did it very well: Yet Britain set the world ablaze In good King George's glorious days!

—Gilbert, Sir W(illiam) S(chwenck)

Welcome to Britain's New Political Order. No passion† No Right. No Left.Just multi-hued blancmange.

—Mitchell, Austin

Perdomita Britannia et statim omissa. Britain was conquered and immediately lost.

—Tacitus

Britainwill not be involved ina Europeanwar this year, or next year either.

—Daily Express

It does mean the end of Britain as an independent European state. It means the end of a thousand years of history.

—Gaitskell, Hugh

The era of free speech is closing down. The freedom of the press in Britain was always something of a fake, because in the last resort, money controls opinion; still, so long asthe legal right tosay what you like exists, there are always loopholes for an unorthodox writer.

—Orwell, George pseudonym of  Eric Arthur Blair

It must be owned, that the Graces do not seem to be natives of Great Britain; and I doubt, the best of us here have more of rough than polished diamond.

—Chesterfield, Philip Dormer Stanhope, 4th Earl of

It seems that the historic inability in Britain to comprehend Irish feelings and sensitivities still remains.

—Haughey, CharlesJames

In America journalism is apt to be regarded as an extension of history: in Britain, as an extension of conversation.

—Sampson, Anthony (Terrell Seward)

He resolved to lead Britain and her fading empire in one last great struggle†to arm the nation, not only with weapons but also with the mace of honor, creating in every English breast a soul beneath the ribs of death. 544

—Manchester,William Raymond

If one leads a country such as Britainöa strong country that has taken a lead in world affairs in good times and bad, that isalwaysreliable, thenyou must haveatouch of iron about you.

—Thatcher, Margaret HildaThatcher, Baroness

The most urgent tasks in Britain, once war is over, are, on the one hand, the making of a common attack on the giant evils of Want, Disease,Ignorance and Squalor, and on the other hand, the re-equipping of British industry.

—Beveridge,William Henry Beveridge, 1st Baron

We are creating a Britain of which we can be proud, and the world knows it. The world's tourists are coming here in their millions†because the new Britain is exciting. Yes,Britain with a Labour Government is an exciting place.

—Wilson of Rievaulx, (James) Harold Wilson, Baron

Only in Britain could it be thought a defect to be 'too clever by half'. The probability is that too many people are too stupid by three-quarters.

—Major,John

In an era of precipitous decline for Britain and its once- global empire, Harold Wilson was a fixture for 30 years, a solid workingman's socialist in a rumpled ready-to- wear suit and his trademark Gannex mackintosh.

—McFadden, Robert D(ennis)

When Britain first, at heaven's command, Arose from out the azure main, This was the charter of the land, And guardian angels sung this strain: 'Rule,Britannia, rule the waves; Britons never will be slaves.'

—Thomson,James pseudonym 'BV',ByssheVanolis