“If John McDonnell nationalised whole industries, they would be quickly taken over by bureaucrats more concerned about their careers than about customers.”

And I observe that for the vast majority of the Labour government we had a top rate of 40 per cent income tax. It’s now higher, and I think we should look to get to a simpler, lower tax system.

What you notice in French nurseries is just how calm they are. All of their classes are structured and led by teachers. It’s a requirement.

I didn’t become a Tory just to become part of a managerial group who wanted to run the country…

Britain is a nation of Uber-riding, Deliveroo-eating, Airbnb-ing freedom fighters.

We don’t know what’s around the corner – and we must do everything to ensure we get our country’s debts down, building our resilience so we don’t repeat the mistakes of the past.

Britain has always been at its most successful when it’s a trading nation.

From the coffee bars of Camden to the gin joints of Norfolk – across Britain, a revolution is brewing. And no, it’s not John McDonnell’s bitter socialist hooch. It’s a generation growing up with an entirely different view of the world – free thinking, optimistic and hungry for success.

As Trade Secretary I see the world is waiting. The Australians, the Americans, the Kiwis, the Japanese.

The fact that Australians want to come and live and work in Britain, and Brits want to come and live and work in Australia.

I don’t like tokenism. I don’t like the idea that somebody should just appear at a press conference or in a media interview because they are a woman.

Tyrrells crisps are one of the top sellers in France. I don’t know if you’ve tasted crisps in other countries.

Schools receive 12% more per student for those doing media studies or psychology than they do for those doing maths. You could change that around, made a premium on doing maths.

I’ve been anxious but not depressed. I’m an incorrigible optimist.

I’m saying the excessive focus on what gender a person is, rather than what they do, does a disservice to women.

We want a fully comprehensive trade deal that reflects our deep, ongoing relationship, the friendship between our two countries.

Our future lies in being a high skilled, high innovation, free enterprise nation.

To work in architecture you are so much involved with society, with politics, with bureaucrats. It’s a very complicated process to do large projects.