Clement Attlee Quotes

25 Sourced Quotes

Democracy means government by discussion, but it is only effective if you can stop people talking.

Clement Attlee
Russian Communism is the illegitimate child of Karl Marx and Catherine the Great.

Clement Attlee
Attlee: I'm one of those people who are incapable of religious feeling.
Harris: Do you mean you have no feeling about Christianity, or that you have no feeling about God, Christ, and life after death?
Attlee: Believe in the ethics of Christianity. Can't believe in the mumbo jumbo.
Harris: Would you say you are in agnostic?
Attlee: I don't know.
Harris: Is there an after-life, do you think?
Attlee: Possibly.

Clement Attlee
I must remind the right honourable gentleman that a monologue is not a decision.

Clement Attlee
When we are returned to power we want to put in the statute book an act which will make our people citizens of the world before they are citizens of this country.

Clement Attlee
You have no right whatever to speak on behalf of the Government. Foreign affairs are in the capable hands of Ernest Bevin. His task is quite sufficiently difficult without the irresponsible statements of the kind you are making... I can assure you there is widespread resentment in the Party at your activities and a period of silence on your part would be welcome.

Clement Attlee
Mr. Chamberlain's Budget was the natural expression of the character of the present Government. There was hardly any increase allowed for the services which went to build up the life of the people, education and health. Everything was devoted to piling up the instruments of death. The Chancellor expressed great regret that he should have to spend so much on armaments, but said that it was absolutely necessary and was due only to the actions of other nations. One would think to listen to him that the Government had no responsibility for the state of world affairs.

Clement Attlee
The difference between the House of Commons and the House of Lords is the difference between a newly poured glass of champagne and one that has stood for five days.

Clement Attlee
I am pleased to see from the laughter on the Ministerial benches that there is no implication on their part to take Sir Oswald Mosley too seriously. It can easily be seen today that this idea of a dictator is gradually falling down.

Clement Attlee
You will be judged by what you succeed at gentlemen, not by what you attempt

Clement Attlee
There is a denial of the value of the individual. Christianity affirms the value of each individual soul. Nazism denies it. The individual is sacrificed to the idol of the German Leader, German State or the German race. The ordinary citizen is allowed to hear and think only as the rulers decree.

Clement Attlee
We have absolutely abandoned any idea of nationalist loyalty. We are deliberately putting a world order before our loyalty to our own country.

Clement Attlee
The Government has now resolved to enter upon an arms race, and the people will have to pay for their mistake in believing that it could be trusted to carry out a policy of peace. … This is a War Budget. We can look in the future for no advance in Social Legislation. All available resources are to be devoted to armaments.

Clement Attlee
… the Peace Treaties must be scrapped … I stand for no more war and no more secret diplomacy.

Clement Attlee
The voice we heard was that of Mr Churchill but the mind was that of Lord Beaverbrook.

Clement Attlee
I should be a sad subject for any publicity expert. I have none of the qualities which create publicity.

Clement Attlee
If the King asks you to form a Government you say 'Yes' or 'No', not 'I'll let you know later!'

Clement Attlee
There were few who thought him a starter,
Many who thought themselves smarter.
But he ended PM,
CH and OM,
an Earl and a Knight of the Garter.

Clement Attlee
We are told in the White Paper that there is danger against which we have to guard ourselves. We do not think you can do it by national defence. We think you can only do it by moving forward to a new world – a world of law, the abolition of national armaments with a world force and a world economic system. I shall be told that that is quite impossible.

Clement Attlee
Often the 'experts' make the worst possible Ministers in their own fields. In this country we prefer rule by amateurs.

Clement Attlee
Decisions stem from judgment. A Cabinet is not a place for eloquence — one reason why good politicians are not good Cabinet Ministers. It is Judgement which is needed to make important decisions on imperfect knowledge in a limited time.

Clement Attlee
Few thought he was even a starter
There were many who thought themselves smarter
But he ended PM
CH and OM
An earl and a knight of the garter.
Describing himself

Clement Attlee
It's a good maxim that if you have a good dog you don't bark yourself. I had a very good dog in Mr Ernest Bevin.

Clement Attlee
To a memorandum from the Ministry of Works saying, 'We have read the Cabinet's proposals':
The Cabinet does not propose, it decides.

Clement Attlee
I believe that conscience is a still small voice and not a loudspeaker.

Clement Attlee