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)