New Times,
New Thinking.

  1. Long reads
17 December 2009

The NS Quiz: Politics

By Olav Bjortomt

Click here for the answers

1 With what did the Plane Stupid protester Leila Deen attack Peter Mandelson in March?
a A cup of green custard
b A bucket of water
c Harsh words
d A bag of flour

2 What did Gordon Brown eventually reveal to be his favourite biscuit?
a “Oatcakes with butter and cheese”
b “Anything with a bit of chocolate”
c “A plain Digestive”
d “A Rich Tea”

3 Nick Griffin was elected an MEP for North-West England. His fellow BNP member Andrew Brons became an MEP for which constituency?
a Yorkshire and the Humber
b North-East England
c West Midlands
d East of England

4 Among recent expenses submitted by the new Speaker, John Bercow, was a £933 bill for what?
a A luxury bed
b Repairing and replacing
a lavatory
c A chauffeur to get around his Buckingham constituency
d Treating dry rot

5 Nick Clegg rejected a call from David Cameron for the Lib Dems to join the Tories in a new what?
a “Progressive alliance”
b “Political union”
c “Force for change”
d “National movement”

Give a gift subscription to the New Statesman this Christmas from just £49

6 In June, the then communities secretary, Hazel Blears, wore a brooch displaying which slogan?
a Giving them stick
b Rocking the boat
c Stirring things up
d Making a stand

7 Complete the name of the political group founded after the 2009 European Parliament elections: “European Conservatives and . . .”
a Progressives
b Traditionalists
c Reformists
d Democrats

8 In May, the genealogy expert Tony Andrews uncovered evidence that David Cameron is related to which Labour MP through her aunt’s marriage to his great-uncle?
a Ruth Kelly
b Harriet Harman
c Jacqui Smith
d Yvette Cooper

9 Hillary Clinton said of which cabinet minister: “Well, if you saw him, it would be a big crush. I mean he is so vibrant, attractive, smart . . . And he’s so young!”?
a James Purnell
b David Miliband
c Bob Ainsworth
d Ed Balls

10 Which Conservative politician was caught on secret camera saying of post-expenses life: “You have to live on rations and are treated like shit”?
a Oliver Letwin
b Nick Herbert
c David Willetts
d Alan Duncan

 

ANSWERS:

1a A cup of green custard
2b “Anything with a bit of chocolate”
3a Yorkshire and the Humber
4b Repairing
and replacing a lavatory
5d “National movement”
6b Rocking the boat
7c Reformists
8b Harriet Harman
9b David Miliband
10d Alan Duncan

Content from our partners
Building Britain’s water security
How to solve the teaching crisis
Pitching in to support grassroots football