I pride myself on being courteous to people, and trying to fashion good relations.

I've never been much given to little social cliques.

Fairness is not about statistical equality.

If someone is being very cheeky, it can be quite fun to deal with that situation.

For far too long the House of Commons has been run as little more than a private club by and for gentleman amateurs.

I am seeking every day to restore faith in Parliament - to ensure we have a House of Commons which is representative, effective and reconnected to the people we serve.

I never aspired to be Speaker simply so I could say, 'I am the Speaker of the House of Commons,' and tell my children that.

I think the record shows that as Speaker, I have taken the lead in cleaning up politics.

I don't want to crawl over the entrails of past disputes.

It's a cowardly form of politics to use my spouse to beat me.

A legislature cannot be effective while suffering from public scorn.

Sharpen your mind with the beauty of knowledge and the tears of experience to be wise.

In life's small things be resolute and great To keep thy muscle trained Know'st thou when Fate Thy measure takes or when she'll say to thee "I find thee worthy do this deed for me?"

One of our neighbors is a salami distributor, and they pretty well - I mean, we used their salami to make a rocket engine out of. They just look at us and they're amused, they're fine with it.

When the correct technique feels wrong, different and confusing there is change and grow

In my life, I've dealt with tragedy.

The healthier a new venture and the faster it grows, the more financial feeding it requires.

I made art a philosophy, and philosophy an art.

Surely we ought to show them (animals) great kindness and gentleness for many reasons, but, above all, because they are of the same origin as ourselves.

For bees are captious folk / And quick to turn against the lubber's touch.

Some kinds of stocks are easier to analyse than others.