--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I was on the London assembly it was…" description: "\"When I was on the London assembly it was quite common for government ministers to refuse to appear.\" — James Cleverly" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf7/james-cleverly-13014_assembly_when-i-was-on-the-london-assembly-it-was_907492.jpg" --- # When I was on the London assembly it was quite common for… ![“When I was on the London assembly it was quite common for government ministers to refuse to appear.” quote by James Cleverly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf7/james-cleverly-13014_assembly_when-i-was-on-the-london-assembly-it-was_907492.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf7/james-cleverly-13014_assembly_when-i-was-on-the-london-assembly-it-was_907492.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf7/james-cleverly-13014_assembly_when-i-was-on-the-london-assembly-it-was_907492.jpg) > “When I was on the London assembly it was quite common for government ministers to refuse to appear.” [James Cleverly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cleverly/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Government officials may avoid accountability, highlighting challenges in democratic oversight. **In simple terms:** Officials sometimes dodge accountability. Key Takeaway Demand transparency and participation. Themes politics accountability transparency Mood concerned serious Type political analytical When to use this quote - public hearings - media scrutiny - policy advocacy Key Concepts public oversight civic engagement Questions to Reflect On - How can citizens hold leaders accountable? - What mechanisms improve transparency? A Different Perspective Some officials are genuinely unavailable. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Europe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/europe/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/london/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) ## Related quotes > [The London assembly's job is to scrutinise the mayor of London.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cleverly/the-london-assembly-s-job-is-to-scrutinise-the-mayor-of-london/) [James Cleverly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cleverly/) > [I'm sick and tired of government ministers in this Labour government who simply blame other people when things go wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theresa-may/i-m-sick-and-tired-of-government-ministers-in-this-labour-government/) [Theresa May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theresa-may/) > [I often think about my dad. He couldn't name you half the government ministers but it doesn't mean that he hasn't got an opinion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-skelton/i-often-think-about-my-dad-he-couldn-t-name-you-half-the-government/) [Helen Skelton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-skelton/) > [One cannot walk through an assembly factory and not feel that one is in Hell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/one-cannot-walk-through-an-assembly-factory-and-not-feel-that-one-is/) [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) > [I was a star campaigner for the Aruvikkara byelection and the assembly elections. They were very valuable experiences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suresh-gopi/i-was-a-star-campaigner-for-the-aruvikkara-byelection-and-the/) [Suresh Gopi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suresh-gopi/) > [For you deal here above all with human life, and human life is sacred; no one may dare make an attempt upon it. Respect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-paul-vi/for-you-deal-here-above-all-with-human-life-and-human-life-is-sacred/) [Pope Paul VI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-paul-vi/) > [Well I'm not dancing," Will said through gritted teeth. "I don't know how." Oh yes you are," Alyss told him. "Let's hope you're a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flanagan/well-i-m-not-dancing-will-said-through-gritted-teeth-i-don-t-know-how/) [John Flanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flanagan/) > [“Liberalism is a creation of the seventeenth century, fathered by British philosopher John Locke (1632–1704). For Locke, liberalism means limited government, the rule of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-boghossian/liberalism-is-a-creation-of-the-seventeenth-century-fathered-by/) [Peter Boghossian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-boghossian/) > [To that world assembly of sovereign states, the United Nations, our last best hope in an age where the instruments of war have far…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/to-that-world-assembly-of-sovereign-states-the-united-nations-our/) [John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) > [Yet if anyone cares to read over the now crumbling minutes giving an account of the meetings at which the Italian Fasci di Combattimento…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benito-mussolini/yet-if-anyone-cares-to-read-over-the-now-crumbling-minutes-giving-an/) [Benito Mussolini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benito-mussolini/) > [Club: An assembly of good fellows, meeting under certain conditions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/club-an-assembly-of-good-fellows-meeting-under-certain-conditions/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [We stand today at the threshold of a great event both in the life of the United Nations and in the life of mankind,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/we-stand-today-at-the-threshold-of-a-great-event-both-in-the-life-of/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [She went from opera, park, assembly, play, To morning walks, and prayers three hours a day. To part her time 'twixt reading and bohea,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-pope/she-went-from-opera-park-assembly-play-to-morning-walks-and-prayers/) [Alexander Pope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-pope/) > [ Mac \[Barnett\] and I prank each other during our presentation. We show baby pictures of each other looking completely ridiculous. I can't believe the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jory-john/mac-barnett-and-i-prank-each-other-during-our-presentation-we-show/) [Jory John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jory-john/) > [We can see nothing whatever of the soul unless it is visible in the expression of the countenance; one might call the faces at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-c-lichtenberg/we-can-see-nothing-whatever-of-the-soul-unless-it-is-visible-in-the/) [Georg C. Lichtenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-c-lichtenberg/) ## More by James Cleverly > [It's the nature often on social media that people say things without really thinking through their position.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cleverly/it-s-the-nature-often-on-social-media-that-people-say-things-without/) [James Cleverly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cleverly/) > [Being hip, being popular, being cool, that's really easy. Until you have to make tough decisions. And when you have to make tough decisions,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cleverly/being-hip-being-popular-being-cool-that-s-really-easy-until-you-have/) [James Cleverly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cleverly/) > [My fear is of the message we put out to millions of voters is that if change is not initiated through the ballot box,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cleverly/my-fear-is-of-the-message-we-put-out-to-millions-of-voters-is-that-if/) [James Cleverly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cleverly/) > [When I have been speaking to people in Braintree and at other places in the country they really didn't buy into Labour's economic offer,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cleverly/when-i-have-been-speaking-to-people-in-braintree-and-at-other-places/) [James Cleverly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cleverly/) > [Actually, Brexit is an incredibly important issue, but it's not the only issue. And to be a credible party of Government you need to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cleverly/actually-brexit-is-an-incredibly-important-issue-but-it-s-not-the/) [James Cleverly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cleverly/) > [Once we have delivered Brexit, no one is going to say: 'Oh wow, you delivered Brexit, I'm going to ignore everything else to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cleverly/once-we-have-delivered-brexit-no-one-is-going-to-say-oh-wow-you/) [James Cleverly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cleverly/) > [The London assembly's job is to scrutinise the mayor of London.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cleverly/the-london-assembly-s-job-is-to-scrutinise-the-mayor-of-london/) [James Cleverly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cleverly/) > [Basically the real decision making in the Labour party is old white men, assisted by young, posh men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cleverly/basically-the-real-decision-making-in-the-labour-party-is-old-white/) [James Cleverly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cleverly/) > [Boris is a naturally energetic and optimistic politician. And when he goes on the campaign trail that just becomes so evident.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cleverly/boris-is-a-naturally-energetic-and-optimistic-politician-and-when-he/) [James Cleverly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cleverly/) > [I'm in the most diverse Cabinet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cleverly/i-m-in-the-most-diverse-cabinet/) [James Cleverly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cleverly/) > [If we went around just throwing people on the scrap heap because of one or two things that they might have done in their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cleverly/if-we-went-around-just-throwing-people-on-the-scrap-heap-because-of/) [James Cleverly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cleverly/) > [I get racist stuff all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cleverly/i-get-racist-stuff-all-the-time/) [James Cleverly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cleverly/) > [Brexit has given us the start of a conversation with people who perhaps haven't traditionally voted Conservative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cleverly/brexit-has-given-us-the-start-of-a-conversation-with-people-who/) [James Cleverly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cleverly/) > [I, Daniel Blake' is a powerful and moving film. But it is a political polemic and is particularly unfair on the public sector professionals…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cleverly/i-daniel-blake-is-a-powerful-and-moving-film-but-it-is-a-political/) [James Cleverly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cleverly/) > [The Labour party still really has no idea why their people voted for Brexit. They still think that basically it's naive Labour voters being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cleverly/the-labour-party-still-really-has-no-idea-why-their-people-voted-for/) [James Cleverly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cleverly/) [Explore all 52 James Cleverly quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cleverly/) ## More Assembly quotes > [We can see nothing whatever of the soul unless it is visible in the expression of the countenance; one might call the faces at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-c-lichtenberg/we-can-see-nothing-whatever-of-the-soul-unless-it-is-visible-in-the/) [Georg C. Lichtenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-c-lichtenberg/) > [ Mac \[Barnett\] and I prank each other during our presentation. We show baby pictures of each other looking completely ridiculous. I can't believe the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jory-john/mac-barnett-and-i-prank-each-other-during-our-presentation-we-show/) [Jory John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jory-john/) > [She went from opera, park, assembly, play, To morning walks, and prayers three hours a day. To part her time 'twixt reading and bohea,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-pope/she-went-from-opera-park-assembly-play-to-morning-walks-and-prayers/) [Alexander Pope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-pope/) > [We stand today at the threshold of a great event both in the life of the United Nations and in the life of mankind,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/we-stand-today-at-the-threshold-of-a-great-event-both-in-the-life-of/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [Club: An assembly of good fellows, meeting under certain conditions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/club-an-assembly-of-good-fellows-meeting-under-certain-conditions/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Yet if anyone cares to read over the now crumbling minutes giving an account of the meetings at which the Italian Fasci di Combattimento…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benito-mussolini/yet-if-anyone-cares-to-read-over-the-now-crumbling-minutes-giving-an/) [Benito Mussolini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benito-mussolini/) > [To that world assembly of sovereign states, the United Nations, our last best hope in an age where the instruments of war have far…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/to-that-world-assembly-of-sovereign-states-the-united-nations-our/) [John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) > [“Liberalism is a creation of the seventeenth century, fathered by British philosopher John Locke (1632–1704). For Locke, liberalism means limited government, the rule of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-boghossian/liberalism-is-a-creation-of-the-seventeenth-century-fathered-by/) [Peter Boghossian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-boghossian/) > [Well I'm not dancing," Will said through gritted teeth. "I don't know how." Oh yes you are," Alyss told him. "Let's hope you're a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flanagan/well-i-m-not-dancing-will-said-through-gritted-teeth-i-don-t-know-how/) [John Flanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flanagan/) > [For you deal here above all with human life, and human life is sacred; no one may dare make an attempt upon it. Respect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-paul-vi/for-you-deal-here-above-all-with-human-life-and-human-life-is-sacred/) [Pope Paul VI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-paul-vi/) > [I was a star campaigner for the Aruvikkara byelection and the assembly elections. They were very valuable experiences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suresh-gopi/i-was-a-star-campaigner-for-the-aruvikkara-byelection-and-the/) [Suresh Gopi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suresh-gopi/) > [One cannot walk through an assembly factory and not feel that one is in Hell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/one-cannot-walk-through-an-assembly-factory-and-not-feel-that-one-is/) [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) > [If you wait for a perfect church, you must wait until you get to heaven; and even if you could find a perfect assembly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/if-you-wait-for-a-perfect-church-you-must-wait-until-you-get-to/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [No harm will come to me. The Assembly is prepared to treat us leniently.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-antoinette/no-harm-will-come-to-me-the-assembly-is-prepared-to-treat-us-leniently/) [Marie Antoinette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-antoinette/) > [Every year, the United Nations General Assembly votes on a resolution entitled 'Peaceful resolution of the Palestine conflict.' Every year, the vote is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-finkelstein/every-year-the-united-nations-general-assembly-votes-on-a-resolution/) [Norman Finkelstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-finkelstein/) Browse all 409 Assembly quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I was on the London assembly it was quite common for government ministers to refuse to appear.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "James Cleverly" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cleverly/when-i-was-on-the-london-assembly-it-was-quite-common-for-government/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Assembly" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cleverly/when-i-was-on-the-london-assembly-it-was-quite-common-for-government/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf7/james-cleverly-13014_assembly_when-i-was-on-the-london-assembly-it-was_907492.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf7/james-cleverly-13014_assembly_when-i-was-on-the-london-assembly-it-was_907492.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf7/james-cleverly-13014_assembly_when-i-was-on-the-london-assembly-it-was_907492.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When I was on the London assembly it was quite common for government ministers to refuse to appear.” — James Cleverly", "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": "James Cleverly", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cleverly/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When I was on the London...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cleverly/when-i-was-on-the-london-assembly-it-was-quite-common-for-government/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cleverly/when-i-was-on-the-london-assembly-it-was-quite-common-for-government/#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 } } ] } ```