Hilary Benn Quotes
3 min readFeb 2
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- We will need to work hard to break the cynicism, talk straight and rebuild trust in politics.
- When it comes to jobs, investment, growth, security and our influence in the world we are clearly stronger in Europe. But we are also making a Labour argument about workers’ rights that really matter, to millions of working people and the trade unions that represent them.
- I’m really keen to see a Labour government because there are many things to be done, not least pursuing a sensible Brexit and not one that damages our economy and jobs.
- The union movement has achieved a huge amount in the past century or so. It has secured important rights at work, tackled unfair discrimination and ensured that Britain is one of the safest places in the world in which to go to work.
- Do I have political heroes? Probably not wise to.
- Nature nurtures our souls and lifts our spirits. But it also sustains us and our economy — and it is for this reason that we take it for granted at our peril.
- Decisions about whether industries or companies should be publicly or privately owned are for the governments of developing countries to make; but where they ask for our assistance we’ll give it.
- Trade deal negotiations are highly complicated and take a long time.
- Growth means creating the right conditions for the private sector — farmers and firms — to invest and do business.
- In short, corruption destroys the ‘deal’ — the bargain — between the citizen and the state; and it harms the poorest most.
- I spent 20 years working for the trade union movement before becoming a Labour MP. I’m proud to have done both jobs.
- Each year, about 45 million people are affected by war. Three hundred thousand people die looking down the barrel of a gun — and 200,000 of these are killed in countries ostensibly at peace.
- With rising pressures on councils, particularly on social care and looked-after children, we have to reshape the way public services work to break down the barriers and get services working together.
- We came to see the benefits for working people of common employment rights, guaranteed throughout the EU to prevent a race to the bottom. We worked together in practical ways to make cleaner beaches, protect the environment and ensure consumer rights.
- We cannot comfort ourselves with the idea that young people will take a greater interest in our politics as they establish themselves in a job, in their communities or in their family life.
- The Tories claim that they have changed. Their stance on foxhunting makes it absolutely clear that they haven’t. They know the public doesn’t agree with them. They know that this is about animal cruelty, pure and simple.
- The Brexit referendum showed us to be divided, and those of us who campaigned for remain have to accept that we lost. But that does not mean that we have to agree to the deal the prime minister has brought back — a deal that satisfies no one.
- People are yearning for a politics that tells it straight: that being in government is difficult, that there are tough decisions that we have to make sometimes.
- And being in the EU has given Britain a stronger voice in the world. Britain leads in Europe, from trade to climate change, from good governance to debt relief for the poorest nations, and in turn Europe helps to lead the world.
- I grew up in a household where we talked about the state of the world over breakfast, lunch and dinner.
