How much do you know about United Kingdom politics [and history]
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Author Topic: How much do you know about United Kingdom politics [and history]  (Read 11279 times)
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change08
Junior Chimp
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« on: August 14, 2011, 02:12:15 PM »
« edited: August 14, 2011, 02:33:24 PM by Refudiate »

GENERAL

1 - Who is the Prime Minister of Great Britain and Northern Ireland? What party are they from?

2 - Name the two houses of the British Parliament.

3 - Who is the current Leader of the Opposition and what party is he from?

4 - What parties make up the current government?

5 - Name 3 parties, which are have MPs, outside of the three largest parties.

6 - Prior to the current Prime Minister, who was the Prime Minister and from what party was he from?


HISTORICAL

7 - What was the main right-wing party in Scotland until the mid-60s?

8 - Which office gives the holder the official residence of 10 Downing Street? [hint: it's not as obvious as you'd think]

9 - Who was Britain's longest serving Prime Minister?

10 - Since 1900, which party, under which leader, won the most seats, and, which party did he represent?

11 - What was Labour's official campaign song in the 1997 election?

12 - When did Labour first enter government, under which Prime Minister?

13 - Who made up the so-called 'Gang of 4' and what did they do together?

14 - Which Prime Minister had a trademark smoking pipe?



DEVOLUTION

15 - Scotland. Who was the first First Minister of Scotland?

16 - Scotland. Who is the only First Minister to have won a parliamentary majority?

17 - Wales. Who's the current First Minister of Wales?

18 - Northern Ireland. Who's the current Deputy First Minister?

DIFFICULT

19 - What event did Tony Blair say "wasn't a day for sound bites"?

20 - Name one of the four Communist MPs who were elected.

21 - What are the other names that the Liberal Democrats have taken, in their various forms?

22 - Who were the five candidates in the last Labour leadership election? [Bonus: Their current offices]

23 - What was Margaret Thatcher most famous (or, you might say, infamous) for before she became the leader of her party?

24 - What's the literal seat of the Lord Speaker?



IMPOSSIBLE

25 - What part of Westminister Palace was the House of Commons originally?

26 - Who was the only Prime Minister not to speak English as a first language?

27 - What constituency did the leader of the BNP run in and who beat him, in the 2010 election?
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Filuwaúrdjan
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« Reply #1 on: August 14, 2011, 02:17:06 PM »

Oh dear. I know all of these.
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change08
Junior Chimp
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« Reply #2 on: August 14, 2011, 02:20:12 PM »


Well, it's not gonna be a challenge for a Briton.
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Filuwaúrdjan
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« Reply #3 on: August 14, 2011, 02:21:55 PM »


Well, it's not gonna be a challenge for a Briton.

Should I point out that you're wrong about the number of elected Commie MPs? Smiley
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Teddy (IDS Legislator)
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« Reply #4 on: August 14, 2011, 02:23:23 PM »

1 David Cameron, Conservative
2 House of Commons, House of Lords
3 Ed Milliband, Labour
4 Conservative, Liberal Democrat
5 SDLP (Social Democratic and Labour Party), The SNP (Scottish Nationalist Party) and PC (Plaid Cymru) which are collectively the 3 nationalist parties.
6 Gordon Brown, Labour

7 Conservative and Unionist Party
8 First Lord of the Treasury
9 oh, hum... Pitt the... Younger?
10 Tony Blair, Labour
11 uh wha?
12 Ramsey MacDonald in, uh, 1924?
13 Uh oh I know this one... David Owen, um... Shirley... something, uh. Some..... Robert Mac..Innenian?... and. uh... no clue. They started the Social Democratic Party, a spit from Labour.
14 um. .. Churchill?

15 Oh, that dude with the statue... Dwight? Dewar? D... something. Duncan?
16 Alex Salmond
17 who cares (rhodri morgan?)
18 Chuckles. His name excapes me at the moment. Curly hair, glasses, S something. Sean? Seamus. Damn this. I love NI. I just cant think of his name. McGuinnes I think.

19 ?
20 ?
21 Liberals, Liberal and Social Democrats, Alliance
22 Ed Milliband, David Millibad, Ed Testicles Balls, Dianne Abbot, and that really crazy left-wing dude who said that he'd have gone back in time to kill Thatcher
23 uh, is it the Iron Lady thing? She did that while in Cabinet.
24 Haystack

25 uh. hum. I know they used to meet in a church
26 wow. uh. hum. ... hum... I'm thinking it has to be either Disraeli or Lloyd George, but I'm going with the latter.
27 oh jeeze. no idea. Ole one-eye is an idiot anyway.
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change08
Junior Chimp
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« Reply #5 on: August 14, 2011, 02:33:49 PM »


Well, it's not gonna be a challenge for a Briton.

Should I point out that you're wrong about the number of elected Commie MPs? Smiley

Fixed Smiley
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change08
Junior Chimp
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« Reply #6 on: August 14, 2011, 03:01:10 PM »

Answers:

1 David Cameron, Conservative
2 House of Commons, House of Lords
3 Ed Miliband, Labour
4 Conservative Party, Liberal Democrats
5 Any of: Greens, SNP, Social Democratic and Labour, Plaid Cymru, DUP, Alliance
6 Gordon Brown, Labour

7 Unionist Party
8 First Lord of the Treasury
9 Robert Walpole
10 Stanley Baldwin, Conservative, 1931
11 D:Ream - THings Can Only Get Better
12 1924, Ramnsey MacDonald
13 Roy Jenkins, Shirley Williams, David Owen, Bill Rodgers - formed the SDP after splitting with Labour
14 Harold Wilson

15 Donald Dewar
16 Alex Salmond
17 Carwyn Jones
18 Martin McGuinness

19 Signing of Good Friday
20 Willie Gallacher, Phil Piratin, Shapurji Saklatvala, Walton Newbold
21 Social and Liberal Democrats, SDP-Liberal Alliance, Liberals, Whig
22 Ed Miliband (Leader of the Opposition), David Miliband (MP for South Shields), Ed Balls (Shadow Chancellor), Andy Burnham (Shadow Education Secretary), Diane Abbott (Shadow Health Minister)
23 Abolish free milk in schools for children aged between seven and eleven, earning her the nickname "Milk Snatcher Thatcher"
24 The Woolsack

25 St Stephen's Chapel
26 David Lloyd-George
27 Barking, Margaret Hodge, Labour


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afleitch
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« Reply #7 on: August 14, 2011, 05:14:13 PM »

Number 23 can be disputed given what we know from the 30 year rule.
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Filuwaúrdjan
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« Reply #8 on: August 14, 2011, 05:18:28 PM »

Well it can't be disputed that she was - and is - well known for being the minister that implemented the decision.
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change08
Junior Chimp
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« Reply #9 on: August 14, 2011, 05:34:31 PM »

Well it can't be disputed that she was - and is - well known for being the minister that implemented the decision.

^ This. I doubt you'd find many people who'd go "ah, but it's been found, with the release of government notes from the time..." if the topic was discussed
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Filuwaúrdjan
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« Reply #10 on: August 14, 2011, 06:14:08 PM »

It's only a quiz, you know. No need to get outraged about everything.
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afleitch
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« Reply #11 on: August 14, 2011, 06:17:54 PM »

It's only a quiz, you know. No need to get outraged about everything.

Never say that to a Times Crossword enthusiast.
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MaxQue
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« Reply #12 on: August 14, 2011, 07:04:21 PM »

It's only a quiz, you know. No need to get outraged about everything.

I'm not outraged.

People do need to know a lot more about other systems than their own, but some of the questions were a little to specific and low yield.

That is the purpose of that quiz. It includes much more knowledge than needed. You know, knowledge for knowledge. Like the quiz leagues in UK or the "Génies en Herbe" for adults in Quebec. Well, true than there is nothing of that kind in US (except Jeopardy, which isn't even hosted by an American) and than knowledge is seen as bad in the US.

That is a cultural difference.
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Хahar 🤔
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« Reply #13 on: August 14, 2011, 08:59:26 PM »

7 - What was the main right-wing party in Scotland until the mid-60s?

I don't understand why an outsider would know #7.  Perhaps I'm an idiot.

An outsider might be interested in that sort of thing. Is that a problem?

8 - Which office gives the holder the official residence of 10 Downing Street?

If you live on planet earth and you don't know #8 you've probably suffered massive head trauma.

Or, perhaps, you think you know more than you actually do.

Anyhow, I'll give this a go.

1. David Cameron, Conservative
2. House of Commons, Senate
3. Ed Miliband, Labour
4. Conservative, Liberal Democrats
5. DUP, SDLP, Sinn Féin
6. Gordon Brown, Labour
7. Unionist
8. First Lord of the Treasury
9. Disraeli? Not quite sure.
10. Does MacDonald's National Government count? I'll go with that.
11. Don't know
12. Ramsay MacDonald in 1922 or thereabouts
13. Don't remember the names, but they founded the SDP
14. Churchill?
15-17. Don't recall
18. It's still Robinson, isn't it?
19. Don't know
20. Don't know
21. Whig, Liberal, SDP, SDP-Liberal Alliance, Social and Liberal Democrats
22. Abbott, Balls, Burnham, the Milibands
23. Don't know
24. The woolsack
25. Don't know
26. Lloyd George
27. Don't know
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« Reply #14 on: August 15, 2011, 12:24:59 AM »


GENERAL

1 - Who is the Prime Minister of Great Britain and Northern Ireland? What party are they from?
- David Cameron, Conservative Party

2 - Name the two houses of the British Parliament.
- House of Commons, House of Lords

3 - Who is the current Leader of the Opposition and what party is he from?
- Ed Miliband, Labour Party

4 - What parties make up the current government?
- Conservative Party, Liberal Democrats

5 - Name 3 parties, which are have MPs, outside of the three largest parties.
- Scottish National Party, Plaid Cymru, Green Party of England and Wales

6 - Prior to the current Prime Minister, who was the Prime Minister and from what party was he from?
- Gordon Brown, Labour Party

HISTORICAL

7 - What was the main right-wing party in Scotland until the mid-60s?
- Unionist Party

8 - Which office gives the holder the official residence of 10 Downing Street? [hint: it's not as obvious as you'd think]
- No idea.

9 - Who was Britain's longest serving Prime Minister?
- Not sure. Gladstone? If you mean longest continuous Prime Minister, that should be Thatcher.

10 - Since 1900, which party, under which leader, won the most seats, and, which party did he represent?
- Baldwin in 1931, Conservatives / National government.

11 - What was Labour's official campaign song in the 1997 election?
- Ah, I forgot. Part of the refrain was, iirc: *We can do so much better!*

12 - When did Labour first enter government, under which Prime Minister?
- Ramsay McDonald. 1922(?)

13 - Who made up the so-called 'Gang of 4' and what did they do together?
- Don't know.

14 - Which Prime Minister had a trademark smoking pipe?
- Clement Attlee. Though I would guess he wasn't the only pipe-smoking PM in your history.


DEVOLUTION

15 - Scotland. Who was the first First Minister of Scotland?
- Don't know

16 - Scotland. Who is the only First Minister to have won a parliamentary majority?
- Don't know

17 - Wales. Who's the current First Minister of Wales?
- Don't know

18 - Northern Ireland. Who's the current Deputy First Minister?
- Don't know

DIFFICULT

19 - What event did Tony Blair say "wasn't a day for sound bites"?
- Don't know.

20 - Name one of the four Communist MPs who were elected.
- No idea.

21 - What are the other names that the Liberal Democrats have taken, in their various forms?
- Historically? First "Liberal Party", and than the "Social Democratic & Liberal Alliance".

22 - Who were the five candidates in the last Labour leadership election? [Bonus: Their current offices]
- Ed Miliband, David Milibands, Ed Balls. And one more man and one left-wing black woman, but I don't remember their names.

23 - What was Margaret Thatcher most famous (or, you might say, infamous) for before she became the leader of her party?
- You're probably talking about that milk-snatching affair.

24 - What's the literal seat of the Lord Speaker?
- Don't know.


IMPOSSIBLE

25 - What part of Westminister Palace was the House of Commons originally?
- No idea.

26 - Who was the only Prime Minister not to speak English as a first language?
- Lloyd George

27 - What constituency did the leader of the BNP run in and who beat him, in the 2010 election?
- Nick Griffin ran in Barking, but I don't know to which Labour guy he lost to.
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MaxQue
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« Reply #15 on: August 15, 2011, 12:40:57 AM »

It's only a quiz, you know. No need to get outraged about everything.

I'm not outraged.

People do need to know a lot more about other systems than their own, but some of the questions were a little to specific and low yield.

That is the purpose of that quiz. It includes much more knowledge than needed. You know, knowledge for knowledge. Like the quiz leagues in UK or the "Génies en Herbe" for adults in Quebec. Well, true than there is nothing of that kind in US (except Jeopardy, which isn't even hosted by an American) and than knowledge is seen as bad in the US.

That is a cultural difference.

Sorry.  I looked at it from the point of view as an outsider.  I thought it was educating outsiders about UK political history.  I did not realize that it was for domestic UK consumption.  Criticism withdrawn.

Well, it is for foreign consumption, too. Some of us (us being the "nerds" haunting this particular sub-forum) have an excessive and borderline excessive interest in foreign elections. Often, we know more about politics of a country than many residents of the said country. Look, I'm Canadian and I'm very interested in local by-election in UK.

Is that sane and normal? Probably not, I'll admit, but that shouldn't be depreciated. And I think I know the answer to the question 7, afleitch loves to talk about the past of the Glorious Scotland.

And Xahar means than the answer ISN'T Prime Minister! That office doesn't even legally exist. The office giving access to 10 Downing St isn't well-known and is mostly honorific, if I remember well (and is always given to the Prime Minister since centuries).
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MaxQue
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« Reply #16 on: August 15, 2011, 01:52:45 AM »

1. David Cameron, Conservative.

2. The House of Commons and the House of Lords.

3. Ed Milibrand, Labour.

4. Conservative and Liberal Conservative Democrat

5. Green (Caroline Lucas in Brighton Pavillon), Plaid Cymru, SNP, and four of the five Northern Ireland parties (DUP, SDLP, SF, Alliance). UUP, Respect and Independant Health Concern Party doesn't anymore.

6. Gordon Brown, Labour.

7. The Unionist Party.

8. The First Lord of the Treasury?

9. I don't know. Heath?

10. Labour, Attlee?

11. Something bad, I suppose.

12. Don't know. 1927, under Asquirth?

13. I don't know. I hope they kept their clothes.

14. Churchill! There is only one picture without his pipe and it was took by a Canadian, I think.

15. Donald Dewar? He died in 2001, I think.

16. Alex Salmon.

17. Thomas? (Good guess for a Welshman, anyways, they are all called Thomas or Jones).

18. Martin McGuinness, SF (Peter Robinson, DUP, Belfast East, is the First Minister).

19. September 11st, 2001?

20. Good question.

21. Liberal Party, Liberal Unionist (spin-off), National Liberal (another spin-off), SDP-Liberal Alliance, Social Democratic Party (merged with them), Liberal Democrats, Liberal Party (spin-off). I probably forgot some between the two wars.

22. Ed Milibrand, leader. David Milibrand, backbencher for the moment. Andy Burnham, Diane Abbott and Ed Balls.

23. Introducing Section 21?

24. The seat in front of the Commons. For a name, no idea.

25. The West Wing?

26. Bonar-Law? Wasn't Welsh is first language?

27. Barking (if he won, that would have been Barfing). No idea who won, probably the Labour incumbent.
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Boris
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« Reply #17 on: August 15, 2011, 02:06:09 AM »

1 - David Cameron, Conservative
2 - Commons, Lords

3 - Ed Miliband, Labour

4 - Conservative Liberal Democrats
5 - Sinn Fein, Alliance, SNP
6 - Gordon Brown, Labour

HISTORICAL

7 - no idea

8 - your hint throws me off

9 - Walpole?

10 - Tony Blair, Labour? lol
11 - no idea

12 - Ramsay MacDonald, 1920-something
13 - no idea
14 - no idea


DEVOLUTION

15 - Alex Salmond

16 - no idea
17 - rhodri morgan?

18 - Northern Ireland. Who's the current Deputy First Minister? Martin McGuiness

DIFFICULT

19 - no idea

20 - no idea

21 - SDP  - Liberal Alliance
22 - David, Ed, Balls, Abbott

23 - no idea

24 - no idea


IMPOSSIBLE

25 - no idea

26 - no idea

27 - Nick Griffin, Barking, Margaret Hodge
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« Reply #18 on: August 15, 2011, 02:36:48 AM »

GENERAL

1 - Who is the Prime Minister of Great Britain and Northern Ireland? What party are they from?

David Cameron, Conservative Party.

2 - Name the two houses of the British Parliament.

House of Commons and House of Lords.

3 - Who is the current Leader of the Opposition and what party is he from?

Ed Miliband, Labour Party.

4 - What parties make up the current government?

Conservative Party and Liberal Democrats.

5 - Name 3 parties, which are have MPs, outside of the three largest parties.

Scottish National Party, Plaid Cymru, Social Democratic and Labour Party.

6 - Prior to the current Prime Minister, who was the Prime Minister and from what party was he from?

Gordon Brown, Labour Party.


HISTORICAL

7 - What was the main right-wing party in Scotland until the mid-60s?

Unionist Party.

8 - Which office gives the holder the official residence of 10 Downing Street? [hint: it's not as obvious as you'd think]

Prime Minister?

9 - Who was Britain's longest serving Prime Minister?

Robert Walpole.

10 - Since 1900, which party, under which leader, won the most seats, and, which party did he represent?

Ramsey McDonald, National Government.

11 - What was Labour's official campaign song in the 1997 election?

"Things Can Only Get Better"?

12 - When did Labour first enter government, under which Prime Minister?

1924, Ramsey McDonald.

13 - Who made up the so-called 'Gang of 4' and what did they do together?

Shirley Williams, Roy Jenkins, David Owen, Bill Rodgers. They formed the Social Democratic Party.

14 - Which Prime Minister had a trademark smoking pipe?

Harold Wilson.

DEVOLUTION

15 - Scotland. Who was the first First Minister of Scotland?

Donald Dewar.

16 - Scotland. Who is the only First Minister to have won a parliamentary majority?

Alex Salmond.

17 - Wales. Who's the current First Minister of Wales?

His name escapes me.

18 - Northern Ireland. Who's the current Deputy First Minister?

Martin McGuniness?

DIFFICULT

19 - What event did Tony Blair say "wasn't a day for sound bites"?

Invasion of Iraq?

20 - Name one of the four Communist MPs who were elected.

Not sure.

21 - What are the other names that the Liberal Democrats have taken, in their various forms?

Liberal Party, Alliance, Social Liberal Democrats.

22 - Who were the five candidates in the last Labour leadership election? [Bonus: Their current offices]

Ed Miliband, Leader of the Opposition, David Miliband, backbencher, Ed Balls, Shadow Chancellor, Andy Burnham, Shadow Education Secretary, Diane Abbott, Shadow Health Minister.

23 - What was Margaret Thatcher most famous (or, you might say, infamous) for before she became the leader of her party?

Taking milk away from schoolchildren as Education Secretary.

24 - What's the literal seat of the Lord Speaker?

Speaker's Chair?



IMPOSSIBLE

25 - What part of Westminister Palace was the House of Commons originally?

Not sure.

26 - Who was the only Prime Minister not to speak English as a first language?

David Lloyd George.

27 - What constituency did the leader of the BNP run in and who beat him, in the 2010 election?

Barking, Margaret Hodge.
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« Reply #19 on: August 15, 2011, 04:22:36 AM »

1 - Who is the Prime Minister of Great Britain and Northern Ireland? What party are they from?
David Cameron. Conservative.

2 - Name the two houses of the British Parliament.
House of Lords, House of Commons.

3 - Who is the current Leader of the Opposition and what party is he from?
Ed Milliband, Labour.

4 - What parties make up the current government?
Conservatives, Liberal Democrats.

5 - Name 3 parties, which are have MPs, outside of the three largest parties.
"Are have"? Is this a trick question?
Plaid Cymru, SNP, DUP, SDLP, SF, APNI. Anyone else?

6 - Prior to the current Prime Minister, who was the Prime Minister and from what party was he from?
Gordon Brown, Labour

HISTORICAL

7 - What was the main right-wing party in Scotland until the mid-60s?
The Unionist Party. Which was basically the Conservative Party's Scottish branch.

8 - Which office gives the holder the official residence of 10 Downing Street? [hint: it's not as obvious as you'd think]
Whatever historical office that has been subsumed into the position of Prime Minister used to be Prime Minister did?

9 - Who was Britain's longest serving Prime Minister?
Robert Walpole? Does that far back even count or was the title "Prime Minister" not in official use yet?

10 - Since 1900, which party, under which leader, won the most seats, and, which party did he represent?
Labour, Tony Blair, 1997? Or is this National Coalition Government, David Lloyd George, 1918, Liberals?

11 - What was Labour's official campaign song in the 1997 election?
Things can only get better[/]. Dreadful tune.

12 - When did Labour first enter government, under which Prime Minister?
Wartime coalition during WWI, Lloyd George or his predecessor (Asquith?)

13 - Who made up the so-called 'Gang of 4' and what did they do together?
Roy Jenkins, Shirley something-or-other, David Owen, some other bloke. Walked out of Labour and founded the SDP.

14 - Which Prime Minister had a trademark smoking pipe?
Macmillan? Probably several, actually.

DEVOLUTION

15 - Scotland. Who was the first First Minister of Scotland?
Donald Dewar

16 - Scotland. Who is the only First Minister to have won a parliamentary majority?
Alex Salmond

17 - Wales. Who's the current First Minister of Wales?
Carwyn... Jones? Hughes? Summat like that.

18 - Northern Ireland. Who's the current Deputy First Minister?
Martin McGuinness

DIFFICULT

19 - What event did Tony Blair say "wasn't a day for sound bites"?
It would take Tony Blair to not notice that no events of any import are not "not a day for sound bites". (Hey, quadruple negation, bitches!)

20 - Name one of the four Communist MPs who were elected.
Philip Piratin, Mile End, 1945. Then there's the bloke who won a seat in Fife in 35 and 45, and some arguable stuff in the 20s. (Such as some Parsee businessman in Battersea, supported by Labour and the Commies and perhaps - hazy on details - a member of the latter, but for all practical purposes an Indian National Congress MP.)

21 - What are the other names that the Liberal Democrats have taken, in their various forms?
Liberals. SDP. The short-lived name that got shortened to LDs (Social and Liberal Democrats maybe?)

22 - Who were the five candidates in the last Labour leadership election? [Bonus: Their current offices]
Ed Milliband, Dave Milliband, Ed Balls, Diane Abbot, some random scouse.

23 - What was Margaret Thatcher most famous (or, you might say, infamous) for before she became the leader of her party?
Being a right idiot.

24 - What's the literal seat of the Lord Speaker?
No clue.

IMPOSSIBLE

25 - What part of Westminister Palace was the House of Commons originally?
No clue.

26 - Who was the only Prime Minister not to speak English as a first language?
David Lloyd George? Though I think he was raised bilingual.

27 - What constituency did the leader of the BNP run in and who beat him, in the 2010 election?
Barking. Forget her name.
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« Reply #20 on: August 15, 2011, 07:45:27 AM »

It's only a quiz, you know. No need to get outraged about everything.

I'm not outraged.

People do need to know a lot more about other systems than their own, but some of the questions were a little to specific and low yield.

That is the purpose of that quiz. It includes much more knowledge than needed. You know, knowledge for knowledge. Like the quiz leagues in UK or the "Génies en Herbe" for adults in Quebec. Well, true than there is nothing of that kind in US (except Jeopardy, which isn't even hosted by an American) and than knowledge is seen as bad in the US.

That is a cultural difference.

Sorry.  I looked at it from the point of view as an outsider.  I thought it was educating outsiders about UK political history.  I did not realize that it was for domestic UK consumption.  Criticism withdrawn.

Well, it is for foreign consumption, too. Some of us (us being the "nerds" haunting this particular sub-forum) have an excessive and borderline excessive interest in foreign elections. Often, we know more about politics of a country than many residents of the said country. Look, I'm Canadian and I'm very interested in local by-election in UK.

Is that sane and normal? Probably not, I'll admit, but that shouldn't be depreciated. And I think I know the answer to the question 7, afleitch loves to talk about the past of the Glorious Scotland.

And Xahar means than the answer ISN'T Prime Minister! That office doesn't even legally exist. The office giving access to 10 Downing St isn't well-known and is mostly honorific, if I remember well (and is always given to the Prime Minister since centuries).

Reminds me of some of the meta-discussions I get in my quiz leagues (usually the boring bloke loudly bemoaning that there are too many questions on a subject he isn't interested in).

I feel that knowledge for knowledge's sake is a good thing.  Most questions in UK quiz leagues on foreign politics are of the level of 'who is the Prime Minister of Canada?'  That's nothing more than a name - what about all the other useful facts?  What's his party?  What does he stand for?  What should he be famous/notorious for?  Is he the spawn of the devil or the best thing since sliced bread?  But still, that's the level and anything more in-depth than that is impossibly hard for the average UK pub quiz audience.  That doesn't mean it's too hard for the Mastermind-contender, quizbowl or other general nerd audience - and if we don't fall into one of these categories what are we doing on this forum?

Oh, and BBC Mastermind isn't even hosted by an Englishman.
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Antonio the Sixth
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« Reply #21 on: August 15, 2011, 07:50:02 AM »

GENERAL

1 - Who is the Prime Minister of Great Britain and Northern Ireland? What party are they from?

David Cameron, Conservative

2 - Name the two houses of the British Parliament.

House of Commons
House of Lords

3 - Who is the current Leader of the Opposition and what party is he from?

Ed Miliband, Labour

4 - What parties make up the current government?

The Conservative Party (senior member), the Liberal Democrats (junior member)

5 - Name 3 parties, which are have MPs, outside of the three largest parties.

The Scottish National Party, the Democratic Unionist Party, Sinn Fein, etc...

6 - Prior to the current Prime Minister, who was the Prime Minister and from what party was he from?

Gordon Brown, Labour


HISTORICAL

7 - What was the main right-wing party in Scotland until the mid-60s?

The Unionist Party ? Thanks Hash. Tongue

8 - Which office gives the holder the official residence of 10 Downing Street? [hint: it's not as obvious as you'd think]

Wut ? If it's not the PM, then what could it be ? Huh

9 - Who was Britain's longest serving Prime Minister?

Don't know, certainly some oldie...

10 - Since 1900, which party, under which leader, won the most seats, and, which party did he represent?

You mean in every election ? OMG... Tongue I'd first need to know when exaclty did all those elections take place...

Before 1945, I've no idea.

1945 : Labour under Attlee.
1950 : Labour under Attlee.
1951 : Torie under Churchill
1955 : Torie under McMillan ?
1960s : Let's not even try.
1970 (?) : Tory under Heath ?
1974 : Labour under Wilson
1979 : Tory under Thatcher
1983 : Tory under Thatcher
1987 : Tory under Thatcher
1992 : Tory under Major
1997 : Labour under Blair
2001 : Labour under Blair
2005 : Labour under Blair
2020 : Tory under Cameron

11 - What was Labour's official campaign song in the 1997 election?

No idea. Better late than never ? Grin

12 - When did Labour first enter government, under which Prime Minister?

1924, with Ramsay McDonald.

13 - Who made up the so-called 'Gang of 4' and what did they do together?

Dunno.

14 - Which Prime Minister had a trademark smoking pipe?

Churchill. Grin



DEVOLUTION

15 - Scotland. Who was the first First Minister of Scotland?

Dunno.

16 - Scotland. Who is the only First Minister to have won a parliamentary majority?

Dunno.

17 - Wales. Who's the current First Minister of Wales?

Dunno.

18 - Northern Ireland. Who's the current Deputy First Minister?

Dunno

DIFFICULT

19 - What event did Tony Blair say "wasn't a day for sound bites"?

Dunno.

20 - Name one of the four Communist MPs who were elected.

No idea.

21 - What are the other names that the Liberal Democrats have taken, in their various forms?

The Whighs back in the 1700s, the Liberals since the early XXth Century, they allied with the Social Democratic Party during the 1980 creating the Alliance, which then became a real party known as the LibDems.

22 - Who were the five candidates in the last Labour leadership election? [Bonus: Their current offices]

Besides Ed and David Miliband, don't know.

23 - What was Margaret Thatcher most famous (or, you might say, infamous) for before she became the leader of her party?

Being batsh*t insane ? Nah, don't know.

24 - What's the literal seat of the Lord Speaker?

Dunno.


Better stopping there.
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Filuwaúrdjan
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« Reply #22 on: August 15, 2011, 08:31:07 AM »

Haha, yes. Labour joined the government in 1915 and even got its first cabinet minister then (Arthur Henderson).
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Јas
Jas
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« Reply #23 on: August 15, 2011, 09:55:48 AM »

5 - Name 3 parties, which are have MPs, outside of the three largest parties.
"Are have"? Is this a trick question?
Plaid Cymru, SNP, DUP, SDLP, SF, APNI. Anyone else?

Co-Operative! Cheesy


9 - Who was Britain's longest serving Prime Minister?
Robert Walpole? Does that far back even count or was the title "Prime Minister" not in official use yet?

It only came into official use with Campbell-Bannerman in 1905, I think.
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Peter
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« Reply #24 on: August 15, 2011, 10:28:13 AM »

GENERAL

1 - 6  - All correct

HISTORICAL

7 - 9 - All correct.

10 - Since 1900, which party, under which leader, won the most seats, and, which party did he represent?

I guessed at Blair, 97. My second guess would have been Campbell-Bannerman in 06 or Salisbury in 00.

11 - 14 - All correct

DEVOLUTION

15 - 16 - All correct

17 - Wales. Who's the current First Minister of Wales?
Couldn't remember! Sad

18 - Correct

DIFFICULT

19 - What event did Tony Blair say "wasn't a day for sound bites"?
20 - Name one of the four Communist MPs who were elected.
At one point knew the answer to these, but didn't today

21 - 22 - All correct, but didn't know that Andy Burnham is now Education Shadow, which is mildly embarassing

23 - 24 - All correct

IMPOSSIBLE

25 - What part of Westminister Palace was the House of Commons originally?
Didn't know at all.

26 - Who was the only Prime Minister not to speak English as a first language?
This is quite well known actually I think - definitely doesn't deserve to be in the impossible section at any rate.

27 - Correct.

21/27
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