Alan Clark Quotes

17 Sourced Quotes

There's nothing so improves the mood of the Party as the imminent execution of a senior colleague.

Alan Clark
In the end we are all sacked and it's always awful. It is as inevitable as death following life. If you are elevated there comes a day when you are demoted. Even Prime Ministers.

Alan Clark
There are no true friends in politics. We are all sharks circling, and waiting, for traces of blood to appear in the water.

Alan Clark
Give a civil servant a good case and he'll wreck it with clichés, bad punctuation, double negatives and convoluted apology.

Alan Clark
There is practically no figure whom the press would rather vilify than the wise virgin.

Alan Clark
I am confirmed in my opinion that it is hopeless here. All we can do is arm the Orangemen – to the teeth – and get out.

Alan Clark
We all know the principal preoccupation of politicians is how they can do down their colleagues so that they can advance their own careers.

Alan Clark
I am not a fascist. Fascists are shopkeepers, I am a Nazi.

Alan Clark
I fell into conversation with Douglas. His is a split personality. À deux he is delightful; clever, funny, observant, drily cynical. But get him anywhere near "display mode", particularly if there are officials around, and he might as well have a corncob up his arse. Pompous, trite, high-sounding, cautiously guarded.

Alan Clark
If I can comport myself with the dignity and competence of Ms Mo Mowlam, I shall be very satisfied.
After surgery for a brain tumour

Alan Clark
I want to fire the whole lot. Instantly. Out, out. No "District" commands, no golden bowlers, nothing. Out … If I could, I'd do what Stalin did to Tukhachevsky.

Alan Clark
I only can properly enjoy carol services if I am having an illicit affair with someone in the congregation. Why is this? Perhaps because they are essentially pagan, not Christian, celebrations.

Alan Clark
John Pilger: I read that you were a vegetarian and you are seriously concerned about the way animals are killed.
Alan Clark: Yeah.
John Pilger: Doesn't that concern extend to the way humans, albeit foreigners, are killed?
Alan Clark: Curiously not.

Alan Clark
So what does it matter where it was when it was hit? We could have sunk it if it'd been tied up on the quayside in a neutral port and everyone would still have been delighted.

Alan Clark
The only solution for dealing with the IRA is to kill 600 people in one night.

Alan Clark
Alan died suddenly at Saltwood on Sunday 5th September. He said he would like it to be stated that he regarded himself as having gone to join Tom and the other dogs.

Alan Clark
Like most Chief Whips he [Michael Jopling] knew who the shits were.

Alan Clark