--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The honest truth is that if this…" description: "\"The honest truth is that if this government were to propose the massacre of the first-born, it would still have no difficulty in getting it through the..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f2/diane-abbott-16556_commons_the-honest-truth-is-that-if-this-governm_337822.png" --- # The honest truth is that if this government were to… ![“The honest truth is that if this government were to propose the massacre of the first-born, it would still have no difficulty in getting it through the Commons.” quote by Diane Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f2/diane-abbott-16556_commons_the-honest-truth-is-that-if-this-governm_337822.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f2/diane-abbott-16556_commons_the-honest-truth-is-that-if-this-governm_337822.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f2/diane-abbott-16556_commons_the-honest-truth-is-that-if-this-governm_337822.png) > “The honest truth is that if this government were to propose the massacre of the first-born, it would still have no difficulty in getting it through the Commons.” [Diane Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-abbott/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Powerful critique of governmental authority and its capacity for extreme actions without public scrutiny. **In simple terms:** Governments can push extreme policies easily. Key Takeaway Question authority and demand transparency. Themes politics power government ethics Mood critical skeptical Type political cautionary When to use this quote - policy proposals - public hearings - media analysis Key Concepts authoritarianism public accountability political cynicism Questions to Reflect On - How can citizens effectively check governmental overreach? - What mechanisms protect democratic processes? A Different Perspective Even with opposition, entrenched interests may prevail. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Commons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/commons/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Honest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honest/) [Honest truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honest-truth/) [Massacre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/massacre/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) ## Related quotes > [The government pretends to be endowed with the mystical power to accord favors out of an inexhaustible horn of plenty. It is both omniscient…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/the-government-pretends-to-be-endowed-with-the-mystical-power-to/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [The primary truth that any government will be able to stand on is that God is King, not man. The Lord created this world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-joyner/the-primary-truth-that-any-government-will-be-able-to-stand-on-is/) [Rick Joyner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-joyner/) > [In truth, government has been good to Wall Street and big business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-reich/in-truth-government-has-been-good-to-wall-street-and-big-business/) [Robert Reich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-reich/) > [The truth is that the government cannot give if it does not take from somebody...It is not in the power of the government to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/the-truth-is-that-the-government-cannot-give-if-it-does-not-take-from/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [The . . . inescapable truth is: government does not have all the answers. In too many instances, government does not solve problems; it subsidizes them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/the-inescapable-truth-is-government-does-not-have-all-the-answers-in/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The great truth that government was made for the people and not the people for government has already been established in the practice and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tyler/the-great-truth-that-government-was-made-for-the-people-and-not-the/) [John Tyler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tyler/) > [It's the exact opposite of my job to take what the government says at face value and say, 'This is the truth because the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-tapper/it-s-the-exact-opposite-of-my-job-to-take-what-the-government-says-at/) [Jake Tapper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-tapper/) > [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/) > [“It is contended by many that ours is a Christian government, founded upon the Bible, and that all who look upon the book as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-g-ingersoll/it-is-contended-by-many-that-ours-is-a-christian-government-founded/) [Robert G. Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-g-ingersoll/) > [If the president were standing here with me today, he would say he works for the American people. I work for him, so I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jen-psaki/if-the-president-were-standing-here-with-me-today-he-would-say-he/) [Jen Psaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jen-psaki/) > [Our rulers for more than half a century have made sure that we are never to be told the truth about anything that our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/our-rulers-for-more-than-half-a-century-have-made-sure-that-we-are/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [People who have been in and around government and politics for their entire lives may no longer be able to see the truth. Our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carly-fiorina/people-who-have-been-in-and-around-government-and-politics-for-their/) [Carly Fiorina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carly-fiorina/) > [“A writer inevitably - and less directly this applies to all the arts - about contemporary events, and his impulse is to tell what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/a-writer-inevitably-and-less-directly-this-applies-to-all-the-arts/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [The rise of capitalist practice and morality brought with it a radical revision of how the commons are treated, and also of how they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-rise-of-capitalist-practice-and-morality-brought-with-it-a/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [“Dedicated to all who are building the information commons.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-von-hippel/dedicated-to-all-who-are-building-the-information-commons/) [Eric von Hippel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-von-hippel/) ## More by Diane Abbott > [It is time Britain put its trust back into the Labour Party. I believe I am the candidate that can make this happen precisely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-abbott/it-is-time-britain-put-its-trust-back-into-the-labour-party-i-believe/) [Diane Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-abbott/) > [I believe every abortion is a tragedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-abbott/i-believe-every-abortion-is-a-tragedy/) [Diane Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-abbott/) > [I was a postman one Christmas and I developed a morbid fear of dogs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-abbott/i-was-a-postman-one-christmas-and-i-developed-a-morbid-fear-of-dogs/) [Diane Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-abbott/) > [Let's talk about the real issues of crime which people are worried about. What people are worried about is the rise in violent crime.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-abbott/let-s-talk-about-the-real-issues-of-crime-which-people-are-worried/) [Diane Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-abbott/) > [I wanted my marriage to work, but it didn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-abbott/i-wanted-my-marriage-to-work-but-it-didn-t/) [Diane Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-abbott/) > [Mental health is often missing from public health debates even though it's critical to wellbeing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-abbott/mental-health-is-often-missing-from-public-health-debates-even-though/) [Diane Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-abbott/) > [White people love playing 'divide & rule'. We should not play their game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-abbott/white-people-love-playing-divide-rule-we-should-not-play-their-game/) [Diane Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-abbott/) > [In politics, the people I most despise are those who have no values.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-abbott/in-politics-the-people-i-most-despise-are-those-who-have-no-values/) [Diane Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-abbott/) > [I want a Labour Party that is more democratic, more open and listens to its members.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-abbott/i-want-a-labour-party-that-is-more-democratic-more-open-and-listens/) [Diane Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-abbott/) > [Tackling childhood obesity is key.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-abbott/tackling-childhood-obesity-is-key/) [Diane Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-abbott/) > [I don't think you can have pain and soul-searching doing the right thing for your child.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-abbott/i-don-t-think-you-can-have-pain-and-soul-searching-doing-the-right/) [Diane Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-abbott/) > [Gun crime is a major cause of fear and distress throughout the UK. The problem is deeply entrenched in a wide range of social…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-abbott/gun-crime-is-a-major-cause-of-fear-and-distress-throughout-the-uk-the/) [Diane Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-abbott/) > [Being an MP is a good job, the sort of job all working-class parents want for their children -- clean, indoors and no heavy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-abbott/being-an-mp-is-a-good-job-the-sort-of-job-all-working-class-parents/) [Diane Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-abbott/) > [My father was a manual worker.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-abbott/my-father-was-a-manual-worker/) [Diane Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-abbott/) > [It's very lonely bringing up a child on your own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-abbott/it-s-very-lonely-bringing-up-a-child-on-your-own/) [Diane Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-abbott/) [Explore all 39 Diane Abbott quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-abbott/) ## More Commons quotes > [“Dedicated to all who are building the information commons.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-von-hippel/dedicated-to-all-who-are-building-the-information-commons/) [Eric von Hippel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-von-hippel/) > [The rise of capitalist practice and morality brought with it a radical revision of how the commons are treated, and also of how they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-rise-of-capitalist-practice-and-morality-brought-with-it-a/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [We have reached a new milestone as a human family. With seven billion of us now inhabiting our planet, it is time to ask…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ban-ki-moon/we-have-reached-a-new-milestone-as-a-human-family-with-seven-billion/) [Ban Ki-moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ban-ki-moon/) > [Climate change is a global commons problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ottmar-edenhofer/climate-change-is-a-global-commons-problem/) [Ottmar Edenhofer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ottmar-edenhofer/) > [Kris Commons and Scott Brown are key players for Celtic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-de-boer/kris-commons-and-scott-brown-are-key-players-for-celtic/) [Frank de Boer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-de-boer/) > [“Libraries represent the sole contemporary American institution with the potential for making available a wide-ranging, genuinely diverse spectrum of opinions, cultural expressions, and ideas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanford-berman/libraries-represent-the-sole-contemporary-american-institution-with/) Sanford Berman > [I studied politics and economics at Bristol, and people always assumed that I'd go into politics or a non-government organisation when I left. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-elliot/i-studied-politics-and-economics-at-bristol-and-people-always-assumed/) [Ben Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-elliot/) > [“To say it's the poor quality of the paint under socialism is correct, but it is not enough. To say it's soft-coal exploitation and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/slavenka-drakuli/to-say-it-s-the-poor-quality-of-the-paint-under-socialism-is-correct/) [Slavenka Drakulić](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/slavenka-drakuli/) > [What distinguishes a commons is that it is not private property, does not have a price, and is oriented towards 'use value' rather than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-standing/what-distinguishes-a-commons-is-that-it-is-not-private-property-does/) [Guy Standing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-standing/) > [“The claimed legitimizing devices of political consent or personal labour served only to obscure the unjustifiable seizure of land from the common by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-vallentyne/the-claimed-legitimizing-devices-of-political-consent-or-personal/) Peter Vallentyne > [“Google and Apple offer the image of a pseudo-commons to Internet users. That image recalls Nick Dyer-Whiteford's claim that, in light of the structural…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sumanth-gopinath/google-and-apple-offer-the-image-of-a-pseudo-commons-to-internet/) Sumanth Gopinath > [As a young man, Dickens worked as a reporter in the House of Commons and hated it. He felt that all politicians spoke with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-tomalin/as-a-young-man-dickens-worked-as-a-reporter-in-the-house-of-commons/) [Claire Tomalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-tomalin/) > [It takes a lot to silence the House of Commons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsay-hoyle/it-takes-a-lot-to-silence-the-house-of-commons/) [Lindsay Hoyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsay-hoyle/) > [I can't get very excited about the House of Commons these days because I don't feel the power is there. What is really bizarre…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/i-can-t-get-very-excited-about-the-house-of-commons-these-days/) [Robert Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/) > [In an approximate way, the logic of commons has been understood for a long time, perhaps since the discovery of agriculture or the invention…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrett-hardin/in-an-approximate-way-the-logic-of-commons-has-been-understood-for-a/) [Garrett Hardin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrett-hardin/) [Browse all 38 Commons quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/commons/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The honest truth is that if this government were to propose the massacre of the first-born, it would still have no difficulty in getting it through the Commons.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Diane Abbott" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-abbott/the-honest-truth-is-that-if-this-government-were-to-propose-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Commons" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-abbott/the-honest-truth-is-that-if-this-government-were-to-propose-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f2/diane-abbott-16556_commons_the-honest-truth-is-that-if-this-governm_337822.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f2/diane-abbott-16556_commons_the-honest-truth-is-that-if-this-governm_337822.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f2/diane-abbott-16556_commons_the-honest-truth-is-that-if-this-governm_337822.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The honest truth is that if this government were to propose the massacre of the first-born, it would still…” — Diane Abbott", "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": "Diane Abbott", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-abbott/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The honest truth is that if...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-abbott/the-honest-truth-is-that-if-this-government-were-to-propose-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-abbott/the-honest-truth-is-that-if-this-government-were-to-propose-the/#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 } } ] } ```