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Politics & Power Quote by Kenneth Clarke

"I don't think at my age... you can start ruling people out in politics"

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A veteran’s shrug disguised as a principle: Clarke’s line is less a plea for open-mindedness than a map of how power actually survives. “At my age” does heavy lifting. It’s an appeal to experience, yes, but it also quietly lowers the audience’s expectations. Don’t ask for ideological purity or permanent feuds; ask for workable relationships. In Westminster culture, where today’s rival can be tomorrow’s coalition partner, “ruling people out” isn’t moral clarity so much as strategic self-harm.

The subtext is transactional without sounding grubby. Clarke frames flexibility as maturity, implying that absolutists are either naïve or performing for the cameras. It’s a way of sanctioning pragmatism while inoculating himself against accusations of inconsistency: if you’ve seen enough leadership contests, cabinet reshuffles, and party schisms, you learn that grudges are a luxury and certainty is often a pose.

Context matters because Clarke’s brand has long been the “grown-up” Conservative: socially liberal-ish, economically orthodox, institutionally minded, skeptical of ideological crusades. The line fits that persona and the era of fractured party identities (especially around Europe), when drawing bright lines could strand you on the wrong side of history by next week’s news cycle.

There’s also a softer, more personal note: age as a reminder that politics is finite, and legacy is negotiated. Keeping doors open is not just a tactic; it’s a way to remain relevant when the room keeps changing.

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APA Style (7th ed.)
Clarke, Kenneth. (2026, January 17). I don't think at my age... you can start ruling people out in politics. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/i-dont-think-at-my-age-you-can-start-ruling-78822/

Chicago Style
Clarke, Kenneth. "I don't think at my age... you can start ruling people out in politics." FixQuotes. January 17, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/i-dont-think-at-my-age-you-can-start-ruling-78822/.

MLA Style (9th ed.)
"I don't think at my age... you can start ruling people out in politics." FixQuotes, 17 Jan. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/i-dont-think-at-my-age-you-can-start-ruling-78822/. Accessed 4 Feb. 2026.

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Kenneth Clarke (born July 2, 1940) is a Politician from England.

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