---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If Theresa May is big enough to admit her…"
description: "\"If Theresa May is big enough to admit her mistakes and put a kinder Conservatism into the heart of her government, she may survive, reunite our broken ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/051/anna-soubry-9246_conservatism_if-theresa-may-is-big-enough-to-admit-he_64846.jpg"
---

#  If Theresa May is big enough to admit her mistakes and put…

![“If Theresa May is big enough to admit her mistakes and put a kinder Conservatism into the heart of her government, she may survive, reunite our broken country, and deliver a considerably better Brexit deal.” quote by Anna Soubry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/051/anna-soubry-9246_conservatism_if-theresa-may-is-big-enough-to-admit-he_64846.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/051/anna-soubry-9246_conservatism_if-theresa-may-is-big-enough-to-admit-he_64846.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/051/anna-soubry-9246_conservatism_if-theresa-may-is-big-enough-to-admit-he_64846.jpg)

> “If Theresa May is big enough to admit her mistakes and put a kinder Conservatism into the heart of her government, she may survive, reunite our broken country, and deliver a considerably better Brexit deal.”

[Anna Soubry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-soubry/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

A call for political humility and compassionate conservatism to heal division and improve Brexit outcomes.

**In simple terms:** Political humility can unite a fractured nation.

Key Takeaway

Compassionate leadership may reverse Brexit failures.

Themes

political humility compassionate conservatism national unity Brexit negotiations leadership accountability

Mood

hopeful critical optimistic

Type

political commentary policy critique visionary statement

When to use this quote

- parliamentary debates
- party leadership crises
- post‑Brexit trade talks
- public opinion shifts

Key Concepts

policy reform public trust government cohesion

Practical Applications

- policy revision proposals
- strategic communication plans

Questions to Reflect On

- What would a kinder conservatism look like in practice?
- How can admitting mistakes reshape political credibility?

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Better Brexit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better-brexit-868237/) [Brexit Deal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brexit-deal-868238/) [Conservatism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conservatism/) [Europe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/europe/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Government Survive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government-survive-868240/) [Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) [Kinder Conservatism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kinder-conservatism-868239/) [Mistakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistakes/) [Survive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/survive/)

## Related quotes

> [No form of government can survive that excludes dictatorship when the life of the nation is at stake.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clinton-rossiter/no-form-of-government-can-survive-that-excludes-dictatorship-when-the/)

[Clinton Rossiter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clinton-rossiter/)

> [China is building a model for how an authoritarian government can survive the Internet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-mackinnon/china-is-building-a-model-for-how-an-authoritarian-government-can/)

[Rebecca MacKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-mackinnon/)

> [President Hindenburg had ultimate say over whether the government would survive or not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-larson/president-hindenburg-had-ultimate-say-over-whether-the-government/)

[Erik Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-larson/)

> [A government that cannot survive truth and must resort to stamping out truth is not a government that any country wants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-craig-roberts/a-government-that-cannot-survive-truth-and-must-resort-to-stamping/)

[Paul Craig Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-craig-roberts/)

> [ No government could survive without champagne. In the throat of our diplomatic people \[it\] is like oil in the wheels of an engine. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-dargent/no-government-could-survive-without-champagne-in-the-throat-of-our/)

[Joseph Dargent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-dargent/)

> [The final Brexit deal must ensure there is no diminution in Britain's national security or ability to tackle cross-border crime.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keir-starmer/the-final-brexit-deal-must-ensure-there-is-no-diminution-in-britain-s/)

[Keir Starmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keir-starmer/)

> [You might want a certain type of Brexit deal, but you can't get it if the numbers aren't there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amber-rudd/you-might-want-a-certain-type-of-brexit-deal-but-you-can-t-get-it-if/)

[Amber Rudd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amber-rudd/)

> [Yes, I believe in parliamentary sovereignty, but irrespective of what the Electoral Commission decides, I am now even more convinced that there must be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-miller/yes-i-believe-in-parliamentary-sovereignty-but-irrespective-of-what/)

[Gina Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-miller/)

> [I believe that Theresa May is going to end up with a botched Brexit that will satisfy no one and make sure that calls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/layla-moran/i-believe-that-theresa-may-is-going-to-end-up-with-a-botched-brexit/)

[Layla Moran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/layla-moran/)

> [I'm interested in anything that can provide a reasonable Brexit deal that everybody can live with and everybody can see some merit in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-boles/i-m-interested-in-anything-that-can-provide-a-reasonable-brexit-deal/)

[Nick Boles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-boles/)

> [Only Boris Johnson will get the best Brexit deal for Britain, defeat Jeremy Corbyn's divisive shambles of an opposition, and govern the United Kingdom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/priti-patel/only-boris-johnson-will-get-the-best-brexit-deal-for-britain-defeat/)

[Priti Patel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/priti-patel/)

> [A jobs-first Brexit deal means remaining in the single market and customs union.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-kendall/a-jobs-first-brexit-deal-means-remaining-in-the-single-market-and/)

[Liz Kendall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-kendall/)

> [We need a transitional Brexit deal that provides maximum certainty and stability. Labour will deliver it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keir-starmer/we-need-a-transitional-brexit-deal-that-provides-maximum-certainty/)

[Keir Starmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keir-starmer/)

> [The reality is that no Brexit deal can be achieved if Northern Ireland is never allowed to leave the Customs Union.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penny-mordaunt/the-reality-is-that-no-brexit-deal-can-be-achieved-if-northern/)

[Penny Mordaunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penny-mordaunt/)

> [The nature of the final Brexit deal really matters. It is, as I have said before, the battle of our times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keir-starmer/the-nature-of-the-final-brexit-deal-really-matters-it-is-as-i-have/)

[Keir Starmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keir-starmer/)

## More by Anna Soubry

> [As I predicted, young people who overwhelmingly didn't want Brexit have turned out in their droves and exacted revenge on a generation of Leavers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-soubry/as-i-predicted-young-people-who-overwhelmingly-didn-t-want-brexit/)

[Anna Soubry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-soubry/)

> [I was naturally opinionated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-soubry/i-was-naturally-opinionated/)

[Anna Soubry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-soubry/)

> [It is very easy for middle-class people who come from moneyed backgrounds not to understand what it's like for people when they first go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-soubry/it-is-very-easy-for-middle-class-people-who-come-from-moneyed/)

[Anna Soubry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-soubry/)

> [The only person I think I actually do dislike is John McDonnell. I actually do think he's a nasty piece of work because he's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-soubry/the-only-person-i-think-i-actually-do-dislike-is-john-mcdonnell-i/)

[Anna Soubry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-soubry/)

> [To see off Corbyn's Labour, we need to start the debate as to how and why a market economy is the way to deliver…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-soubry/to-see-off-corbyn-s-labour-we-need-to-start-the-debate-as-to-how-and/)

[Anna Soubry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-soubry/)

> [The Tory party must learn from its own history that when we fight each other, you can guarantee to lose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-soubry/the-tory-party-must-learn-from-its-own-history-that-when-we-fight/)

[Anna Soubry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-soubry/)

> [People do not use foul language in the House of Commons chamber. They just don't do it, and I don't, either.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-soubry/people-do-not-use-foul-language-in-the-house-of-commons-chamber-they/)

[Anna Soubry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-soubry/)

> [There are houses where they don't any longer have dining tables. They will sit in front of the telly and eat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-soubry/there-are-houses-where-they-don-t-any-longer-have-dining-tables-they/)

[Anna Soubry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-soubry/)

> [Few Conservatives MPs have taken any pleasure from the witch-hunt against moderate Labour MPs by the hard-Left Momentum group.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-soubry/few-conservatives-mps-have-taken-any-pleasure-from-the-witch-hunt/)

[Anna Soubry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-soubry/)

> [You have to get the balance right, especially with public health, so that you take the measures that benefit the public's health but without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-soubry/you-have-to-get-the-balance-right-especially-with-public-health-so/)

[Anna Soubry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-soubry/)

> [I do object to being called a Nazi.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-soubry/i-do-object-to-being-called-a-nazi/)

[Anna Soubry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-soubry/)

> [I am simply not prepared to stand back and watch my country fall off a cliff edge. If that means voting against my party,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-soubry/i-am-simply-not-prepared-to-stand-back-and-watch-my-country-fall-off/)

[Anna Soubry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-soubry/)

> [The Leave campaign claims we send £350 million a week to Europe. This is untrue. When you take into account the rebate Margaret Thatcher…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-soubry/the-leave-campaign-claims-we-send-350-million-a-week-to-europe-this/)

[Anna Soubry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-soubry/)

> [Decent, hard-working Labour MPs have been targeted by Corbyn fanatics in an attempt to purge the party of anyone who doesn't support their narrow,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-soubry/decent-hard-working-labour-mps-have-been-targeted-by-corbyn-fanatics/)

[Anna Soubry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-soubry/)

> [Not everybody who is overweight comes from deprived backgrounds, but that's where the propensity lies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-soubry/not-everybody-who-is-overweight-comes-from-deprived-backgrounds-but/)

[Anna Soubry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-soubry/)

[Explore all 74 Anna Soubry quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-soubry/)

## More Conservatism quotes

> [Conservatism is not about leaving people behind. Conservatism is about empowering people to catch up, to give them the tools at their disposable that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/conservatism-is-not-about-leaving-people-behind-conservatism-is-about/)

[Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/)

> [“Conservatism aims to maintain in working order the loyalties of the community to perceived truths and also to those truths which in their judgment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-f-buckley-jr-2/conservatism-aims-to-maintain-in-working-order-the-loyalties-of-the/)

[William F. Buckley Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-f-buckley-jr-2/)

> [Conservative feminism is such an artificial term that doesn't mean much to me. For me conservatism means accepting reality. I acknowledge that there are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristina-schroder/conservative-feminism-is-such-an-artificial-term-that-doesn-t-mean/)

[Kristina Schroder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristina-schroder/)

> [Conservatism is affecting the way women perceive who they are in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cate-blanchett/conservatism-is-affecting-the-way-women-perceive-who-they-are-in-the/)

[Cate Blanchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cate-blanchett/)

> [Admirers can be a tremendous force for conservatism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-eno/admirers-can-be-a-tremendous-force-for-conservatism/)

[Brian Eno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-eno/)

> [Conservatism defends those coercive arrangements which a still-lingering savageness makes requisite. Radicalism endeavours to realize a state more in harmony with the character of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/conservatism-defends-those-coercive-arrangements-which-a-still/)

[Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/)

> [Conservatism is about the basic rights of individuals. God created us. As far as the government goes, the Founding Fathers based the Constitution off…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-wurzelbacher/conservatism-is-about-the-basic-rights-of-individuals-god-created-us/)

[Joe Wurzelbacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-wurzelbacher/)

> [A liberal is only a bundle of prejudices until he has mastered, has understood, experienced the philosophy of Conservatism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-acton/a-liberal-is-only-a-bundle-of-prejudices-until-he-has-mastered-has/)

[Lord Acton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-acton/)

> [“At the time, he told his children to watch themselves, to understand that the tides of conservatism came and went and if they could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-bacigalupi/at-the-time-he-told-his-children-to-watch-themselves-to-understand/)

[Paolo Bacigalupi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-bacigalupi/)

> [Conservatism is the worship of dead revolutions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clinton-rossiter/conservatism-is-the-worship-of-dead-revolutions/)

[Clinton Rossiter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clinton-rossiter/)

> [Weirdly, there have been a lot of critics of conservatism, but very few critics of innovation. As a culture, we are deeply paranoid about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-lepore/weirdly-there-have-been-a-lot-of-critics-of-conservatism-but-very-few/)

[Jill Lepore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-lepore/)

> [“It's almost hard to imagine anything more undemocratic than the view that political officials should not debate American wars in public, but only express…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/it-s-almost-hard-to-imagine-anything-more-undemocratic-than-the-view/)

[Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/)

> [The need of black conservatives to gain the respect of their white peers deeply shapes certain elements of their conservatism. In this regard, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornel-west/the-need-of-black-conservatives-to-gain-the-respect-of-their-white/)

[Cornel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornel-west/)

> [Social and cultural change, however desirable, should not be effected by the engines of national power. Let us, through persuasion and education, seek to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-goldwater/social-and-cultural-change-however-desirable-should-not-be-effected/)

[Barry Goldwater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-goldwater/)

> [Conservatism is an active intellectual pursuit; it requires a constant vigilance. It has nothing to do with feelings. Liberalism is the most gutless choice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/conservatism-is-an-active-intellectual-pursuit-it-requires-a-constant/)

[Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/)

[Browse all 522 Conservatism quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conservatism/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "If Theresa May is big enough to admit her mistakes and put a kinder Conservatism into the heart of her government, she may survive, reunite our broken country, and deliver a considerably better Brexit deal.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Anna Soubry"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-soubry/if-theresa-may-is-big-enough-to-admit-her-mistakes-and-put-a-kinder/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Conservatism"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-soubry/if-theresa-may-is-big-enough-to-admit-her-mistakes-and-put-a-kinder/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/051/anna-soubry-9246_conservatism_if-theresa-may-is-big-enough-to-admit-he_64846.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/051/anna-soubry-9246_conservatism_if-theresa-may-is-big-enough-to-admit-he_64846.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/051/anna-soubry-9246_conservatism_if-theresa-may-is-big-enough-to-admit-he_64846.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“If Theresa May is big enough to admit her mistakes and put a kinder Conservatism into the heart of her…” — Anna Soubry",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Anna Soubry",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-soubry/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "If Theresa May is big enough...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-soubry/if-theresa-may-is-big-enough-to-admit-her-mistakes-and-put-a-kinder/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-soubry/if-theresa-may-is-big-enough-to-admit-her-mistakes-and-put-a-kinder/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
