William Hague Quotes

William Jefferson Hague, Baron Hague of Richmond, , is a British Conservative politician and life peer. He represented Richmond, Yorkshire, as its Member of Parliament from 1989 until 2015 and was the Leader of the Opposition from 1997 to 2001. He was Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs from 2010 to 2014 and was the Leader of the House of Commons from 2014 to 2015.Hague was educated at Wath Comprehensive School, the University of Oxford and INSEAD, subsequently being returned to the House of Commons at a by-election in 1989. Hague quickly rose through the ranks of the government of John Major and was appointed to Cabinet in 1995 as Secretary of State for Wales. Following the Conservatives' defeat at the 1997 general election by the Labour Party, he was elected Leader of the Conservative Party at the age of 36.

He resigned as Conservative Leader after the 2001 general election following his party's second defeat, at which the Conservatives made a net gain of just one seat. He returned to the backbenches, pursuing a career as an author, writing biographies of William Pitt the Younger and William Wilberforce. He also held several directorships, and worked as a consultant and public speaker.

After David Cameron was elected Leader of the Conservative Party in 2005, Hague was reappointed to the Shadow Cabinet as Shadow Foreign Secretary. He also assumed the role of "Senior Member of the Shadow Cabinet", serving as Cameron's deputy. After the formation of the Coalition Government in 2010, Hague was appointed First Secretary of State and Foreign Secretary. Cameron described him as his "de facto political deputy". On 14 July 2014, Hague stood down as Foreign Secretary and became Leader of the House of Commons. He did not stand for re-election at the 2015 general election.

Hague was awarded a life peerage in the 2015 Dissolution Honours List on 9 October 2015. Wikipedia  

✵ 26. March 1961
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William Hague: 14   quotes 0   likes

Famous William Hague Quotes

“I can tell them that when he goes off to a major political conference of a centre-right party and simultaneously refers to himself as a socialist, he is on manoeuvres”

Hansard http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200708/cmhansrd/cm080121/debtext/80121-0012.htm, 21 Jan 2008, House of Commons: Column 1261-1263.
Context: To see how the post of a permanent President of the European Council could evolve is not difficult even for the humblest student of politics, and it is, of course, rumoured that one Tony Blair may be interested in the job. Now, if that makes us uncomfortable on these benches, just imagine how it is viewed in Downing Street! I must warn Ministers opposite that having tangled with Tony Blair across this Dispatch Box on literally hundreds of occasions, I know his mind almost as well as they do. I can tell them that when he goes off to a major political conference of a centre-right party and simultaneously refers to himself as a socialist, he is on manoeuvres, and is busily building coalitions as only he can. We can all picture the scene at a European Council sometime next year. Picture the face of our poor Prime Minister as the name of "Blair" is nominated by one President and Prime Minister after another: the look of utter gloom on his face at the nauseating, glutinous praise oozing from every Head of Government, the rapid revelation of a majority view, agreed behind closed doors when he, as usual, was excluded. Never would he regret more no longer being in possession of a veto: the famous dropped jaw almost hitting the table, as he realises there is no option but to join in. And then the awful moment when the motorcade of the President of Europe sweeps into Downing Street. With gritted teeth and bitten nails: the Prime Minister emerging from his door with a smile of intolerable anguish; the choking sensation as the words, "Mr President", are forced from his mouth. And then, once in the Cabinet room, the melodrama of, "When will you hand over to me?" all over again.

William Hague Quotes about people

William Hague Quotes

“For the first time in history at Question Time, all three parties are represented by a stand-in for the real leader.”

15 February 2006, House of Commons, Prime Minister's Questions when he deputised for David Cameron in his absence. However, Tony Blair was answering questions and was the active leader of the Labour party. Hague was suggesting that Gordon Brown was the "true" power behind the party.

“We are determined to reach a diplomatic settlement to the Iran nuclear crisis.”

Iran differences are now narrow, says William Hague https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-24901561 BBC News (11 November 2013)
2000, 2013

“It is about… making a success of membership of the EU but also with democratic consent for that in its modern form and the best form that we can bring about.”

'Strong case' for EU referendum, says Hague https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-21107741 BBC News (20 January 2013)
2000, 2013

“If you are less influential in crafting the overall approach of the EU you end up with less influence in the rest of the world.”

UK to lose global influence after Brexit - Lord Hague https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-40517715 BBC News (6 July 2017)
2000, 2017

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