According to Richard Clarke, the former White House counterterrorism chief, Bush was so obsessed with Iraq that he failed to take action against Osama bin Laden despite repeated warnings from his intelligence experts.

— Ferdinand Mount

A majority in all parties do, I think, want to see local government recover its old vigor and independence.

— Ferdinand Mount

For the first half of this century, High Court judges have been cautious to the point of timidity in expressing any criticism of governmental action; the independence of the judiciary has been of a decidedly subordinate character.

— Ferdinand Mount

One of the unsung freedoms that go with a free press is the freedom not to read it.

— Ferdinand Mount

The irreducible, ultimate element in religious faith is the insistence that we are created things; male and female He created them; without God we are nothing. And yet, when men and women have children and become parents, they unmistakably become creators, incompetent, accidental and partial creators, no doubt, but creators nonetheless. It is their inescapable duty, and, with luck, their occasional delight to care and watch over their creations; even if this creative power is partly illusory because chromosomes and chance decide the whole business, parents cannot act as if it is illusory; they cannot sincerely believe in their ultimate helplessness. They must behave like shepherds, however clumsy, and not like sheep, however well-trained. The Sermon on the Mount is a wonderful, intoxicating sermon. But it is a sermon for bachelors.

— Ferdinand Mount

We are also further than ever from equality of opportunity.

— Ferdinand Mount

We want a system that will improve consistency and steadiness in the quality of government.

— Ferdinand Mount