"We read too much Shakespeare at school, and view our parliamentary politics as dynastic drama, in which an impatient crown prince frets at his long subordination and begins to scheme for the throne he knows he merits, was promised and has earned."

"There are signs that the age of petroleum has passed its zenith. Adjusted for inflation, a barrel of crude oil now sells for three times its long-run average. The large western oil companies, which cartellised the industry for much of the 20th century, are now selling more oil than they find, and are thus in the throes of liquidation."

"Rarely in modern times has there been such a revolution in commercial sentiment as occurred in 2008, or such a display in government and business of panic and helplessness."

"Since the attack on the United States on September 11 2001, and the US retaliation in Afghanistan and Iraq, there must be few people who have not felt a twinge of nostalgia for the cold war."

"It is a steadfast truth that beauty in art is the harmony of spirit, intellect, and craft."

"Poetry's unnat'ral; no man ever talked poetry 'cept a beadle on boxin' day."

"Before I settled on music, I wanted to be an archaeologist, an astronaut, all sorts of really diverse things."

"I don't see music as working."