Harold Wilson Quotes

“He who rejects change is the architect of decay. The only human institution which rejects progress is the cemetery.”

— Harold Wilson

“This Party is a moral crusade or it is nothing.”

— Harold Wilson

“If I had the choice between smoked salmon and tinned salmon, I'd have it tinned. With vinegar.”

— Harold Wilson

“I'm at my best in a messy, middle-of-the-road muddle.”

— Harold Wilson

I'm an optimist, but an optimist who carries a raincoat.

— Harold Wilson

“Whichever party is in office, the Treasury is in power.”

— Harold Wilson

I believe the greatest asset a head of state can have is the ability to get a good night's sleep.

— Harold Wilson

“We are redefining and we are restating our socialism in terms of the scientific revolution.”

— Harold Wilson

Everybody should have an equal chance - but they shouldn't have a flying start.

— Harold Wilson

“The main essentials of a successful prime minister are sleep and a sense of history.”

— Harold Wilson

“One man's wage increase is another man's price increase.”

— Harold Wilson

“A week is a long time in politics.”

— Harold Wilson

“Given a fair wind, we will negotiate our way into the Common Market, head held high, not crawling in. Negotiations? Yes. Unconditional acceptance of whatever terms are offered us? No.”

— Harold Wilson

The monarchy is a labor intensive industry.

— Harold Wilson

“The labour party is like a stage-coach. If you rattle along at great speed everybody inside is too exhilarated or too seasick to cause any trouble. But if you stop everybody gets out and argues about where to go next.”

— Harold Wilson

“From now on, the pound abroad is worth 14 per cent or so less in terms of other currencies. That doesn't mean, of course, that the Pound here in Britain, in your pocket or purse or in your bank, has been devalued.”

— Harold Wilson

“I get a little nauseated, perhaps, when I hear the phrase 'freedom of the press' used as freely as it is, knowing that a large part of our proprietorial press is not free at all.”

— Harold Wilson

“If the Tories get in, in five years no one will be able to afford to buy an egg.”

— Harold Wilson

It is quite clear to me that the Tory Party will get rid of Mrs Thatcher in about 3 years time.

— Harold Wilson

“There is something utterly nauseating about a system of society which pays a harlot 25 times as much as it pays its prime minister, 250 times as much as it pays its members of Parliament and 500 times as much as it pays some of its ministers of religion.”

— Harold Wilson

“I'm an optimist, but I'm an optimist who takes his raincoat.”

— Harold Wilson

Debating against him is no fun, say something insulting and he looks at you like a whipped dog.

— Harold Wilson

“Selsdon Man is designing a system of society for the ruthlessness and the pushing, the uncaring. His message to the rest is: you're out on your own.”

— Harold Wilson

“The ambition of the present Labour government is that every worker in the country will have a greater than average income.”

— Harold Wilson

“[Criticizing as "appalingly complacent" a Conservative Government report that by the '60s, Britain would be producing all the scientists needed] Of course we shall, if we don't give science its proper place in our national life. We shall no doubt be training all the bullfighters we need, because we don't use many.”

— Harold Wilson

“The cumulative effects of the economic and financial sanctions might well bring the rebellion to an end within a matter of weeks rather than months.”

— Harold Wilson

“In politics a week is a very long time.”

— Harold Wilson

“May I say, for the benefit of those who have been carried away by the gossip of the last few days, that I know what's going on. [pause] I'm going on, and the Labour government's going on.”

— Harold Wilson

“Tories never actually talk about getting rid of their leader, then suddenly there us a flash of steel betweent he shoulder-blades and rigormortis sets in.”

— Harold Wilson

“With the ministry's motto 'Research on a Shoestring' emblazoned on his coat of arms, he has to struggle with a treasury more interested in surtax relief than national survival. [Responding to an earlier statement by British Science Minister, Lord Hailsham, that British scientists were being recruited by the U.S.]”

— Harold Wilson

“Every dog is allowed one bite, but a different view is taken of a dog that goes on biting all the time. He may not get his licence returned when it falls due.”

— Harold Wilson

“The office of president requires the constitution of an athlete, the patience of a mother, the endurance of an early Christian.”

— Harold Wilson

“This party is a bit like an old stagecoach. If you drive along at a rapid rate everyone aboard is either so exhilarated or so seasick that you don't have a lot of difficulty.”

— Harold Wilson

“The only limits of power are the bounds of belief.”

— Harold Wilson