Quotes of the week

We have seen real progress of a substantial kind, and I am delighted.

Malcolm Rifkind, Foreign Secretary, declaring Britain's veto strategy over Europe's beef ban a success

In a crisis like this there are no winners, only losers. The result could have been achieved quickly and without political damage.

Jacques Santer, President of the European Commission

I think the British will pay a very, very high price for what they have done

Goran Persson, Swedish prime minister

What are we doing to our sensibilities and moral values and those of our children when we broadcast an unremitting diet of violence, extremes of sexuality and negative behaviour?

Bruce Gyngell, managing director of Tyne Tees Television, to the Royal Television Society

We need to rethink the whole of our philosophy in relation to the labour market ... the best guarantee of long-term [job] security is by promoting the health of the enterprise.

Tony Blair, addressing the German employers' organisation BDI

It sounded like the speech of the president of the BDI.

Hans-Olaf Henkel, BDI president