Hong Kong's people will get what they want, despite China's objections. Freedom invariably wins in the end.

It is almost always wrong that the time isn't ripe to decide something. That is always said of difficult problems.

There is a sort of exotic preposterousness about a lot of elections, the way arguments are made even cruder.

I believe in trying to get a balance between individual freedom on the one hand and social responsibility on the other.

So, what I say to people is that politics has got to be about principle and values above all. Of course, there are times when you have to make accommodations.

I suppose I've always carried what is regarded as a bit of unnecessary baggage in Britain. I've always carried the charge that I am an intellectual in politics.

I don't think that capitalism should be unbridled, if by unbridled you mean unregulated.

Hong Kong represents the kind of Asia with which both West and East are comfortable... It offers, in that sense, a vision for the future of Asia.

All parts of the society need to feel that the police service is their police service, and that does not happen unless all parts of society are represented in the police

Those of us who had a perfectly happy childhood should be able to sue for deprivation of literary royalties.

I think that if politics is just about getting your backside on important seats, then it's a pretty worthless endeavor.

We have our own system, ... and journalists in our system are not put in prison for embarrassing the government by revealing things the government might not wish to have revealed. The important thing is that our system, under which journalists can write without fear or favor, should continue.

But the ability to articulate what you are doing, to be clear about it, and to stick to it is, I think, the essence of political leadership.