The House of Lords, an illusion to which I have never been able to subscribe - responsibility without power, the prerogative of the eunuch throughout the ages.

Words... They're innocent, neutral, precise, standing for this, describing that, meaning the other, so if you look after them you can build bridges across incomprehension and chaos. But when they get their corners knocked off, they're no good any more... I don't think writers are sacred, but words are. They deserve respect. If you get the right ones in the right order, you can nudge the world a little or make a poem which children will speak for you when you're dead.

The Harris government pulled off a clever trick — retaining all power while creating the illusion of relinquishing a substantial amount of it.

Law not served by power is an illusion; but power not ruled by law is a menace which our nuclear age cannot afford.

I think of [special effects] as magic tricks, as illusion,

With Great Power comes Great Responsibility