Charles Kennedy Government Quotations

Valuing public servants would boost morale among those on the front line of implementing government policy.

We believe that government in Britain should improve the quality of people's lives and improve the quality of our public services in every local community.

We believe that government in Britain should be working to restore our reputation on the international stage after Iraq and engage better within Europe.

We believe that government in Britain is there to protect people from terrorism and from the worst criminality, but never at the expense of our civil liberties and the basic tenets of our legal system.

For any new leader of any party at any given time it takes time if you are not in government to establish yourself.

Politicians are good at saying how Government must do more, but we must also think carefully about where Government should do less.

No government body is more notorious for over-legislation than the Department of Trade and Industry.

Only the Liberal Democrats have probed the government's failings consistently, thoroughly and effectively.

I think we owe it really to those forces, and to their families back home, to make quite clear what the position is and to reassure people by making quite clear that the government and parliament are thinking in terms of a safe homeward strategy for the forces.

Just as we Liberal Democrats opposed the flawed logic of that war in Iraq - we will oppose the flawed government claim that we have to surrender our fundamental rights in order to improve our security.

We need a liberal agenda in which government resists the temptation to interfere in the lives of individuals but is equally determined to play an active role where creative action can advance the liberties of all.

The government's instinct is to shroud itself in secrecy - to act like the office of a president instead of as a collective cabinet government held to account by the elected House of Commons.

Useful lessons can be learned from our more successful local authorities - as you move into government, it is even more imperative to communicate speedily and persuasively with your members and your voters.

We want a strong, vibrant economy for Britain so that we can set out a clear and affordable alternative programme for government.

During my campaign, people of my age and younger said consistently that they would not vote because their votes simply no longer matter and because no government or member of Parliament cared a whit about their problems and their striving for employment.

It is the government's fundamental duty to ensure the security of every individual citizen.

In my view, as a country we need to rediscover some of that skepticism about government and revisit that libertarian agenda.