Dennis Skinner quotes: the Beast of Bolsover in full flow
Few target have escaped the acid tongue of Dennis Skinner, a former miner and veteran Labour MP
In his four and a half decades in the House of Commons, Dennis Skinner has become known as much for his acid wit as for his dedicated attendance in Parliament. His jokes and heckles during the Queen's Speech are now almost as established a part of proceedings as the presence of Black Rod himself, but while his interruptions sometimes provoke chuckle of appreciation on both sides of the house, he remains a standard bearer for Old Labour.
Here is a selection of the most celebrated Dennis Skinner quotations:
On the Conservatives
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
"Half the Tory members opposite are crooks."
When told to withdraw this remark by the Speaker: "OK, half the Tory members aren't crooks."
On George Osborne
"Is my right hon. friend aware that in the 1970s and a lot of the 1980s, we would have thanked our lucky stars in the coalfield areas for growth of 1.75 per cent? The only thing growing then were the lines of coke in front of boy George and the rest of them."
To Black Rod
- 1987 "Tell her to sell up" – a reference to how the Queen could help the recession.
- 1988 "Hey up, Here comes Puss In Boots!"
- 1990 "I bet he drinks Carling Black Label."
- 1992 "Tell her to pay her taxes!"
- 2000 "Tell her to read the Guardian!" – at the time The Guardian was running a republican campaign.
- 2005 "Has she brought Camilla with her?"
- 2006 "Have you got Helen Mirren on standby?"
- 2008 "Any Tory moles at the Palace?"
- 2009 "Royal Expenses are on the way." – after the MPs' expenses scandal
- 2013 "Royal Mail for sale. Queen’s head privatised."
In the House of Lords
"Tell the House Of Lords to go to hell"
On calling an MP a pompous sod
Speaker: "You had better withdraw that"Skinner: "I withdraw the word pompous"Speaker: "That's not the word I'm looking for"Skinner: "I can't withdraw both"
On Jeremy Hunt after his special advisor resigned
"When posh boys are in trouble they sack the servants"
To Roy Jenkins, who pronounced the letter R as a W
Jenkins: "I leave this party without rancour"Skinner: "I thought you were taking Marquand with you."
On being an MP
"I am proud to stand up for my class, to say publicly that I am from good working-class stock. I am proud to be a trade unionist, to be a member of the Labour Party and to be a socialist. I stick to my principles. I know no other way in politics. I make mistakes, everybody does. Nobody is perfect. I have no monopoly on the best way of being an MP. I try not to let anybody down. I've sailed close to the wind in my life but always for the good of the cause, to champion those at the bottom of the pile who deserve better."
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Today's political cartoons - May 4, 2024
Cartoons Saturday's cartoons - reflections in the pond, riding shotgun, and more
By The Week US Published
-
5 high-caliber cartoons about Kristi Noem shooting her puppy
Cartoons Artists take on the rainbow bridge, a farm upstate, and more
By The Week US Published
-
The Week Unwrapped: Why is the world running low on blood?
Podcast Scientists believe universal donor blood is within reach – plus, the row over an immersive D-Day simulation, and an Ozempic faux pas
By The Week Staff Published
-
Will Aukus pact survive a second Trump presidency?
Today's Big Question US, UK and Australia seek to expand 'game-changer' defence partnership ahead of Republican's possible return to White House
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
It's the economy, Sunak: has 'Rishession' halted Tory fightback?
Today's Big Question PM's pledge to deliver economic growth is 'in tatters' as stagnation and falling living standards threaten Tory election wipeout
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Why your local council may be going bust
The Explainer Across England, local councils are suffering from grave financial problems
By The Week UK Published
-
Rishi Sunak and the right-wing press: heading for divorce?
Talking Point The Telegraph launches 'assault' on PM just as many Tory MPs are contemplating losing their seats
By Keumars Afifi-Sabet, The Week UK Published
-
How would a second Trump presidency affect Britain?
Today's Big Question Re-election of Republican frontrunner could threaten UK security, warns former head of secret service
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
'Rwanda plan is less a deterrent and more a bluff'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By The Week UK Published
-
How the biggest election year in history might play out
The Explainer Votes in world's biggest democracies, as well as its most 'despotic' and 'stressed' countries, face threats of violence and suppression
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
'Good democracies include their poorest citizens. The UK excludes them'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By The Week UK Published