Philip Hammond quotes

Philip Hammond is a British Conservative politician who served as Chancellor of the Exchequer from 2016 to 2019. Known for his pragmatic approach to economic and fiscal policy, he has also held other senior government positions, including Foreign Secretary and Defence Secretary. He is recognized for his influence on the UK’s financial and foreign affairs during a pivotal period in British politics. Here are 29 of his quotes:

Nobody is suggesting that the NHS doesn't have to reform, nobody is suggesting that it doesn't have to become more efficient, that productivity growth doesn't have to become positive ... The only difference is that in health, because of the demographic pressure, the savings will all – and more – have to be reinvested in delivering more healthcare.

Philip Hammond

We have to demonstrate to the public that our commitment is protecting public services in the face of a spending contraction which is inevitable.

Philip Hammond

The British public has a strong sense that the situation of the civilian population in Gaza is intolerable and must be addressed - and we agree with them.

Philip Hammond

as my mother told me sticks and stones may break my bones but words don't hurt me.

Philip Hammond

We understand that Israel has concerns, we understand that Hamas has concerns. We are not saying we're not interested in those.

Philip Hammond

We have to be a forward-looking nation not a backward-looking nation, and I have to run the defence budget to deliver defence effect in the future, not to preserve regiments or shipyards just because they've been there for a long time in the past. And we move on. As a nation we move on.

Philip Hammond

But what has struck me most looking at my own constituency in-box as well as the thousands of emails that I'm receiving from the general public here is that it isn't just the Muslim community that's reacting to this. It's a broad swathe of British public opinion that feels deeply disturbed by what it is seeing on its television screens coming out of Gaza.

Philip Hammond

I think my position on the same-sex marriage thing probably sums up the kind of conservative that I am. I'm a small c conservative as well as a big C Conservative, and that means that I prefer my change to be evolutionary rather than revolutionary, and you know I got myself quite comfortable with the institution of civil partnership, but I was then quite shocked by the urge to move on so quickly to the next stage, but I dare say in time I will become quite comfortable with the institution of same-sex marriage, and I suspect I speak for a large number of Conservatives when I say it isn't so much the substance of the change as the process and things being evolutionary and gradually taking root rather than through tumultuous change which is disturbing to the settled instinct.

Philip Hammond

There is no mandate for a no-deal Brexit and a no-deal Brexit will be a catastrophe for the United Kingdom.

Philip Hammond

There should be a new and sincere attempt to reach a consensus. If we do not find a solution with the members, we may have to ask the British to give their opinion again, in one form or another.

Philip Hammond

The Commons has been clear already that it does not support a no-deal exit. That is my position, and as a backbencher I will continue to argue against a no-deal exit.

Philip Hammond

A trade deal will only happen if it is fair and balances the interests of both sides. Given the shape of the British economy, and our trade balance with the EU27, it is hard to see how any deal that did not include services could look like a fair and balanced settlement.

Philip Hammond

If you want my opinion, some of the noise is generated by people who are not happy with the agenda that I have, over the last few weeks, tried to advance, of ensuring that we achieve a Brexit which is focused on protecting our economy, protecting our jobs and making sure that we can have continued rising living standards in the future.

Philip Hammond

I am confident we can do a Brexit deal which puts jobs and prosperity first, that reassures employers that they will still be able to access the talent they need, that keeps our market for goods, services and capital open, achieves early agreement on transitional arrangements so trade can carry on flowing smoothly. The collective sigh of relief would be audible. The benefit to our economy would be huge.

Philip Hammond

While I believe firmly in open markets and free trade, I also believe an open market needs a level playing field.

Philip Hammond

Scotland forms a crucial part of our Armed Forces which should not be jeopardised by rushed cuts or a rush to the exit from the U.K. Defence jobs are vital to the Scottish economy and yet independence puts thousands of jobs at risk.

Philip Hammond

We will build in Britain a cyber strike capability so we can strike back in cyber space against enemies who attack us, putting cyber alongside land, sea, air and space as a mainstream military activity.

Philip Hammond

To those who say Britain cannot afford to invest in infrastructure, I say we cannot afford not to invest in our future.

Philip Hammond

I believe that we have to negotiate a better solution that works better for Britain if we are going to stay in and play a part in the European Union in the future, but let me be absolutely clear: I think it is defeatist to sort of say we want to leave the European Union. We should say no, this is a club that we are members of, and before we talk about leaving it, first of all we're going to try and change the rules and change the way it works and change the objectives that it has in order to make it something that works for Britain.

Philip Hammond

Partly that is because they are simply tired of years of fighting each other and partly it is the galvanising effect of Daesh (IS).

Philip Hammond

I remember 20 years ago we were worrying about what was going to happen to the million shorthand typists in Britain as the personal computer took over. Well, nobody has a shorthand typist these days, but where are all these unemployed people? There are no unemployed people because we have created 3.5m new jobs since 2010.

Philip Hammond

Once we get a good deal from the European Union and the smooth exit from the EU we will be able to show the British people that the fruits of their hard work are now at last in sight.

Philip Hammond