If our system of cabinet government is to work effectively, the prime minister of the day must appoint ministers he or she trusts and then leave them to carry out that policy.
Sentiment: NEGATIVE
A prime minister's job is to make sure the government works for those who have elected him, and not for big corporations.
As a minister, you shouldn't imagine you know better than the technical experts in your ministry. In the end you're there to apply the political stamp of approval.
There is no government in Europe where ministers go through that kind of confirmation process, which in fact is modeled on the way the U.S. cabinet members are confirmed.
No-one is forced to stand for Parliament; no-one is compelled to become a minister. If you take on those roles, which are great privileges, you also take on big responsibilities.
People innately have lots of solutions. It sounds like an obvious thing, but everyone thinks that they can be prime minister; everyone thinks that they can do a better job.
I serve at the discretion of the prime minister.
Every prime minister ... has the responsibility to provide security for his people.
I want a minister to be in charge of a line department so they have clear political accountability.
I have no ambitions to be a cabinet minister, or prime minister. I wouldn't wish being prime minister on my worst enemy.
Even military ministers have no more than a certain amount of control. It is customary that they have the right and the power to participate, from a political and military point of view, in the planning of actual operations.