The political health of Britain has deteriorated very sharply. The Conservative Party must do something about it. I am the man to do it. Kenneth Clarke More Quotes by Kenneth Clarke More Quotes From Kenneth Clarke The Blair government has lowered the standing of politics and politicians in our country. Kenneth Clarke standing politics government country Locking people up without reducing the risk of them committing new crimes against new victims the minute they get out does not make for intelligent sentencing. Kenneth Clarke without new risk people Access to justice is a fundamental part of a properly functioning democracy. Kenneth Clarke part access democracy justice Without legal aid, and the dedicated lawyers who deliver it, our system of justice would quite simply collapse. Kenneth Clarke lawyers legal without justice I am a firm believer in open justice, and an opponent of closed justice in any normal circumstances. But I am also an opponent of legal purism, and have no time for institutionalised mythmaking - whether from the authoritarian right or the liberal left. Kenneth Clarke legal i-am justice time I am a stalwart supporter of the British judiciary who are the best in the world. Kenneth Clarke i-am best judiciary world No country anywhere in the world allows material that genuinely puts national security at risk into the public domain, and that includes a courtroom. Kenneth Clarke security risk country world Trade deals are not the vehicle for raising or lowering standards of protection for consumers, the environment, workers or anyone else. Regulations are made by governments and parliaments. Kenneth Clarke protection environment vehicle trade I am not a creature of giant business and I think that small- and medium-sized businesses will derive the most benefit from the removal of bureaucratic obstacles to trade. Kenneth Clarke i-am think obstacles business Only an ideologue deals with the world as he would wish it to be, as opposed to the world as it is. Kenneth Clarke only he wish world Unless and until I can see an opportunity of actually reversing Brexit and restoring a stable membership of the European Union, then in the real world I concentrate on minimising the damage. Kenneth Clarke brexit i-can opportunity world Referendums are designed to get round parliamentary government, and people only demand referendums when they think they can't get a majority in parliament. Mussolini was the most brilliant practitioner of referendums. Kenneth Clarke think parliament government people Margaret was the best prime minister of my lifetime. Mythology has turned Thatcher into someone regarded either as a goddess by her supporters or an evil witch by her opponents. Kenneth Clarke someone best goddess evil My entire political career has been based on building up Britain's political standing and economic prosperity through our membership of the E.U. and the European project. Kenneth Clarke career building standing political Margaret Thatcher and John Major knew that bluff and bravado doesn't work in Brussels. Kenneth Clarke bluff knew brussels work