The things they say

■ “It’s one of those heart-tugging adverts, better than the usual dross you get from the supermarket at Christmas quite often - but it’s not just an advert, it’s a cause and a mission”

- Conservative MP Tim Loughton praises the John Lewis Christmas

advert.

■ “Unionist Westminster politicians want to silence Scotland’s voice because they are scared of what Scotland might say. It is quite simple”

- First Minister Nicola Sturgeon

on a second Scottish independence referendum.

■ “The Secretary of State does not have confidence in the leadership of RBH and will continue to pay very close attention to their work, in close co-operation with the regulator. He will not hesitate to take further action if necessary”

- A Government source after Housing Secretary Michael Gove

met leaders of Rochdale

Boroughwide Housing (RBH), which owned the flat where Awaab Ishak, aged two, died after prolonged exposure to mould.

■ “This review, among a number of other findings, identifies service failures where agencies could and should have acted differently. For these failures, we take full responsibility and apologise”

- Paul Mee, chair of Cwm Taf Morgannwg Safeguarding Board, over the case of Logan Mwangi, who was murdered by family

members.

■ “Stop is a good word. I might stop one day. I don’t want to retire. Once you’ve retired you feel you’ve got to stay away and if you do want to do something it’s called a comeback. And every time I hear somebody has done a comeback I’m thinking they’ve run out of money”

- Sir Cliff Richard, 82, as he releases his new Christmas

single.

> Nicola Sturgeon, Tim Loughton and Sir Cliff Richard