I was shaped by a pit environment and the Second World War. My playground was on the pit tip at Clay Cross and I grew up with that mining background. My father was a miner and my granddad was a… — Dennis Skinner Copy Share Image
I remember arguing with kids on the street who were talking about Santa Claus. I said don't be so daft - Santa Claus doesn't come down our chimney. He's an economic Santa Claus; he goes down chimneys where they've got… — Dennis Skinner Copy Share Image
I never, ever romanticise life in the pit. It was a hard, dirty, noisy, tiring, dangerous job in a confined space, a very dark… — Dennis Skinner Copy Share Image
Parties are organised happiness but happiness is accidental. You can't legislate for it. — Dennis Skinner Copy Share Image
I've never made a perfect speech or a perfect anything. I always think after, I should have done it that way or this way. — Dennis Skinner Copy Share Image
I've never done any cross-party stuff. I've no interest in sitting down discussing pensions or whatever with Tories. — Dennis Skinner Copy Share Image
Cameron called me a dinosaur you know? Well I'm the only dinosaur who can ride a bike 12 miles a day. — Dennis Skinner Copy Share Image
I solemnly swear that I will bear true and faithful allegiance to the Queen when she pays her income tax — Dennis Skinner Copy Share Image
I still think carefully about what I'm going to say. I use me heart and head technique, in which the heart says, 'get stuck… — Dennis Skinner Copy Share Image
Isn't it essential in any prelude to a war to be sure of your allies and be sure of your objectives? — Dennis Skinner Copy Share Image
We dragged the National Health Service from the depths of degradation. I've got a United Nations heart bypass to prove it and it was… — Dennis Skinner Copy Share Image
There are only so many things you can do in life, and if you think I'm going to spend my waking hours thinking about… — Dennis Skinner Copy Share Image
