--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Unless and until I can see an opportunity…" description: "\"Unless and until I can see an opportunity of actually reversing Brexit and restoring a stable membership of the European Union, then in the real world ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3cc/kenneth-clarke-14375_brexit_unless-and-until-i-can-see-an-opportunit_2289511.png" --- # Unless and until I can see an opportunity of actually… ![“Unless and until I can see an opportunity of actually reversing Brexit and restoring a stable membership of the European Union, then in the real world I concentrate on minimising the damage.” quote by Kenneth Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3cc/kenneth-clarke-14375_brexit_unless-and-until-i-can-see-an-opportunit_2289511.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3cc/kenneth-clarke-14375_brexit_unless-and-until-i-can-see-an-opportunit_2289511.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3cc/kenneth-clarke-14375_brexit_unless-and-until-i-can-see-an-opportunit_2289511.png) > “Unless and until I can see an opportunity of actually reversing Brexit and restoring a stable membership of the European Union, then in the real world I concentrate on minimising the damage.” [Kenneth Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-clarke/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Focus on damage control when reversal seems impossible. **In simple terms:** Minimize harm if fixing is not feasible. Key Takeaway Prioritize mitigation. Themes politics pragmatism crisis management Mood cautious realistic Type political strategic When to use this quote - government negotiations - public communication - economic planning Key Concepts policy risk assessment strategic planning Questions to Reflect On - Can damage control be a long‑term strategy? - What are the trade‑offs of focusing on mitigation? A Different Perspective Reversal may become possible later, requiring flexibility. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Brexit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brexit/) [Brexit Restoring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brexit-restoring-5374549/) [Europe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/europe/) [European union](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/european-union/) [Minimising](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/minimising-5374550/) [Minimising Damage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/minimising-damage-5254682/) [Opportunity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opportunity/) [Opportunity Actually](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opportunity-actually-4005817/) [Real](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real/) [Real world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real-world/) [Reversing Brexit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reversing-brexit-5374548/) [See](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/see/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [People rightly want our political leaders - on all sides - to concentrate on minimising the damage to jobs, living standards and our savings…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-powell/people-rightly-want-our-political-leaders-on-all-sides-to-concentrate/) [Lucy Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-powell/) > [Under the Trump presidency we have a unique opportunity to actually roll back regulations, make the economy work, and more importantly make sure that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-meadows/under-the-trump-presidency-we-have-a-unique-opportunity-to-actually/) [Mark Meadows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-meadows/) > [Brexit is not, thankfully, a question of war. 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If we leave, we are of less value…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-clarke/britain-s-political-voice-depends-on-our-role-as-a-leading-and/) [Kenneth Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-clarke/) > [Jonathan Hill is an old friend of mine; I have worked with him for many years and know him to be a man of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-clarke/jonathan-hill-is-an-old-friend-of-mine-i-have-worked-with-him-for/) [Kenneth Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-clarke/) > [I look forward to the day when the Westminster Parliament is just a council chamber in Europe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-clarke/i-look-forward-to-the-day-when-the-westminster-parliament-is-just-a/) [Kenneth Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-clarke/) > [I don't think at my age... you can start ruling people out in politics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-clarke/i-don-t-think-at-my-age-you-can-start-ruling-people-out-in-politics/) [Kenneth Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-clarke/) > [I'm notorious for only using my mobile phone for outgoing calls: nobody knows my London number and I certainly don't do anything online.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-clarke/i-m-notorious-for-only-using-my-mobile-phone-for-outgoing-calls/) [Kenneth Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-clarke/) > [No country anywhere in the world allows material that genuinely puts national security at risk into the public domain, and that includes a courtroom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-clarke/no-country-anywhere-in-the-world-allows-material-that-genuinely-puts/) [Kenneth Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-clarke/) > [In these home affairs things I think occasionally it's the duty of politicians on both sides to turn round to the tabloids and right-wing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-clarke/in-these-home-affairs-things-i-think-occasionally-it-s-the-duty-of/) [Kenneth Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-clarke/) > [My entire political career has been based on building up Britain's political standing and economic prosperity through our membership of the E.U. and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-clarke/my-entire-political-career-has-been-based-on-building-up-britain-s/) [Kenneth Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-clarke/) > [Of course I'd have loved to be Prime Minister. But I'm not nursing a grievance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-clarke/of-course-i-d-have-loved-to-be-prime-minister-but-i-m-not-nursing-a/) [Kenneth Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-clarke/) > [I am getting frustrated by the fact that we have been out of office for eight years. I desperately want to lead the Conservative…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-clarke/i-am-getting-frustrated-by-the-fact-that-we-have-been-out-of-office/) [Kenneth Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-clarke/) > [Referendums are designed to get round parliamentary government, and people only demand referendums when they think they can't get a majority in parliament. Mussolini…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-clarke/referendums-are-designed-to-get-round-parliamentary-government-and/) [Kenneth Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-clarke/) > [I am a firm believer in open justice, and an opponent of closed justice in any normal circumstances. But I am also an opponent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-clarke/i-am-a-firm-believer-in-open-justice-and-an-opponent-of-closed/) [Kenneth Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-clarke/) [Explore all 47 Kenneth Clarke quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-clarke/) ## More Brexit quotes > [No-deal Brexit could be Boris Johnson's biggest deception yet - worse than the Boris bus or the lies that had him sacked as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-davey/no-deal-brexit-could-be-boris-johnson-s-biggest-deception-yet-worse/) [Ed Davey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-davey/) > [And after Brexit, we will be free to determine our economic future, with control over our money, laws and borders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-truss/and-after-brexit-we-will-be-free-to-determine-our-economic-future/) [Liz Truss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-truss/) > [No one voted for a Brexit that will tie us to the E.U.'s customs rules and prevent us striking meaningful trade deals of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-johnson/no-one-voted-for-a-brexit-that-will-tie-us-to-the-e-u-s-customs-rules/) [Jo Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-johnson/) > [The argument that won the Brexit campaign is the one that said take back control... which is another way of saying we want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frans-timmermans/the-argument-that-won-the-brexit-campaign-is-the-one-that-said-take/) [Frans Timmermans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frans-timmermans/) > [The audience for facts, evidence and research about microtargeting, Facebook and Brexit is tiny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dominic-cummings/the-audience-for-facts-evidence-and-research-about-microtargeting/) [Dominic Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dominic-cummings/) > [I am a passionate, pragmatic, and positive believer in Brexit, and with my three-step plan, we can decisively leave the E.U.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-leadsom/i-am-a-passionate-pragmatic-and-positive-believer-in-brexit-and-with/) [Andrea Leadsom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-leadsom/) > [The important thing with Facebook is to remember that it played a role in facilitating Brexit because it inadvertently allowed leave-supporting groups to use…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nish-kumar/the-important-thing-with-facebook-is-to-remember-that-it-played-a/) [Nish Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nish-kumar/) > [Brexit has always been an impossible project, except at the price of massive self-harm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-adonis-baron-adonis/brexit-has-always-been-an-impossible-project-except-at-the-price-of/) [Andrew Adonis, Baron Adonis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-adonis-baron-adonis/) > [Whatever happens with Brexit, what I am absolutely convinced will not happen is that free movement of individuals, free movement of people, will not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-varadkar/whatever-happens-with-brexit-what-i-am-absolutely-convinced-will-not/) [Leo Varadkar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-varadkar/) > [I think one of the laughable things about poor old Brexit is that they're so cross - they're furious with everyone. But this isn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-soames/i-think-one-of-the-laughable-things-about-poor-old-brexit-is-that/) [Nicholas Soames](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-soames/) > [Brexit has really broken a taboo. The Brits have shown us that you can leave the European Union, and you can come out better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marine-le-pen/brexit-has-really-broken-a-taboo-the-brits-have-shown-us-that-you-can/) [Marine Le Pen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marine-le-pen/) > [People are rightly concerned about what Brexit will mean for the country, for their jobs and for their families.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kemi-badenoch/people-are-rightly-concerned-about-what-brexit-will-mean-for-the/) [Kemi Badenoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kemi-badenoch/) > [Brexit is not, thankfully, a question of war. But, like Iraq, Brexit is an act of unprovoked self-harm and a massive strategic mistake that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-adonis-baron-adonis/brexit-is-not-thankfully-a-question-of-war-but-like-iraq-brexit-is-an/) [Andrew Adonis, Baron Adonis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-adonis-baron-adonis/) > [I'll keep fighting for the best, most successful Brexit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dominic-raab/i-ll-keep-fighting-for-the-best-most-successful-brexit/) [Dominic Raab](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dominic-raab/) > [The skills necessary to change nappies or negotiate Brexit are obviously very different, but both involve a great deal of trust in the competence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gavin-esler/the-skills-necessary-to-change-nappies-or-negotiate-brexit-are/) [Gavin Esler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gavin-esler/) [Browse all 412 Brexit quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brexit/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Unless and until I can see an opportunity of actually reversing Brexit and restoring a stable membership of the European Union, then in the real world I concentrate on minimising the damage.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Kenneth Clarke" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-clarke/unless-and-until-i-can-see-an-opportunity-of-actually-reversing/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Brexit" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-clarke/unless-and-until-i-can-see-an-opportunity-of-actually-reversing/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3cc/kenneth-clarke-14375_brexit_unless-and-until-i-can-see-an-opportunit_2289511.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3cc/kenneth-clarke-14375_brexit_unless-and-until-i-can-see-an-opportunit_2289511.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3cc/kenneth-clarke-14375_brexit_unless-and-until-i-can-see-an-opportunit_2289511.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Unless and until I can see an opportunity of actually reversing Brexit and restoring a stable membership of…” — Kenneth Clarke", "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": "Kenneth Clarke", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-clarke/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Unless and until I can see...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-clarke/unless-and-until-i-can-see-an-opportunity-of-actually-reversing/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-clarke/unless-and-until-i-can-see-an-opportunity-of-actually-reversing/#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 } } ] } ```