He said that in a time of peace some believe our "politics may be petty because the stakes are small.
"The first quarter was certainly a time of volatility, but we believe we responded well".
PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said: "As well as losing a high quality public service and more than 1,000 jobs at a time of high unemployment, we believe these closures will lead to increased vehicle tax evasion and fraud.
Arguably, this isn't a particularly courageous way to lead during a time of turmoil -- though believe me, I've heard of worse treatment.
But I believe it is important that we remember those who dissent in a time of war even if we believe our struggle to be true and just.
I have a new sense of hope that this is a time of change we truly can believe in and that once again I can say proudly that I am an American.
That the local authority is prepared to invest at a time of deep cuts suggests it believes the arts can provide an economic as well as a cultural fillip.
"At a time of change in history, I believe America has a renewed feeling of patriotism.
Using time that MRSA colonisation was first detected as a proxy for actual MRSA acquisition may mask a time of undetected carriage however, we believe that for the majority of patients this was of very short duration and will not significantly affect the analysis.
It's funny what you'll believe in a time of anxiety.
