A Foreign Secretary — and this applies also to a prospective Foreign Secretary — is always faced with this cruel dilemma. Nothing he can say can do very much good, and almost anything he may say may do a great deal of harm. Anything he says that is not obvious is dangerous; whatever is not trite is risky. He is forever poised between the cliché and the indiscretion.

Harold Macmillan (1894–1986) British politician, UK Prime Minister (1957–63)

Remarks, House of Commons (27 Jul. 1955)