Quotes By George Osborne

The rise in world oil prices has been larger than anyone forecast.

Tax cuts should be for life, not just for Christmas.

I get a lot of letters from people.

You cannot tackle Britain's debts without tackling the unreformed welfare system.

There was a real fear that a euro-zone bank might fail, that we'd have a sovereign debt problem in one of the larger European economies. That's dissipated, thanks largely to the action of the European Central Bank.

I understand the damage the expenses crisis has done to Parliament, and the paramount importance of restoring trust in our politics.

The British people think that if someone is disabled, then they should get all the care and support that we can offer.

I had the closest thing I have ever had to an out-of-body experience lying in bed one morning. I turned on the 'Today' programme and item four on the news was: 'The shadow chancellor has ruled himself out of the leadership.' I lay there thinking that's interesting, then I realised it was me.

If someone believes that living on benefits is a lifestyle choice, then we need to make them think again.

If you want to change the way your banking system is regulated, if you want to learn the mistakes of what's gone wrong, then you have to change your government.

I want Britain to be a global financial centre but I want it to be properly regulated.

I didn't come from a traditional Tory background; it was urban and metropolitan.

I want to see genuine talent rewarded.

I've learned to be true to yourself, stick to the big arguments, don't get distracted by the everyday kerfuffle that is in the nature of any democratic system.

Some things never change, suck up to the government and you get an honour.

The Conservative Party mustn't sound like the old man on the park bench who says things were better in 1985, or 1955, or 1855.

Well British pension funds have not been investing the savings of British people in British infrastructure.

It's normally the kiss of death to be identified as a rising star, or someone to watch.

I think you can look at the British economy with confidence.

Well can I just say unlike my predecessors, Conservative and Labour, I have set up an independent body that studies whether what I'm saying is true, whether I've met the targets that I set out.

You really have to try hard to create space and, at least for a time, stop the political world from rushing in. The important thing is to remain sane.

Most successful politicians don't let the job swamp their lives.

I support gay marriage. I support gay marriage because I believe Conservatives support the institutions of commitment.

The foundations of a strong economy don't rest alone on the decisions of Chancellors or the spending programmes of government.

They all said I was a very young guy. Well there is nothing I can do about that but with each day that passes the problem solves itself.

I reject absolutely the idea that people should know their place, and know their class.

Just as we should never balance the budget on the backs of the poor, so it is an economic delusion to think you can balance it only on the wallets of the rich.

Every day as Chancellor I see alerts telling me of risks around the world.

Everyone in our society has had to make a contribution towards dealing with the debts.

I think the British people are very, very attached to the idea that the health service is free at the point of use. But there is no reason why every doctor, nurse and teacher in this country has to be employed by the state.