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A long and illustrious history questions
There are 415 a long and illustrious history practice questions here, each with its correct answer and an explanation, written from Life in the UK: A Guide for New Residents (3rd edition). The real Life in the UK Test is 24 questions in 45 minutes and you need 18 correct to pass. Reading is free and needs no account.
You will learn more by taking a timed test than by reading answers.
401.Who was Prime Minister after Margaret Thatcher?
- AGordon Brown
- BJohn Major
- CDavid Cameron
- DTony Blair
Following Mrs Thatcher came John Major, who helped set the Northern Ireland peace process going. (The 1970s onwards, Thatcher, Blair and Brexit)
402.Which Prime Minister helped establish the Northern Ireland peace process?
- AHarold Macmillan
- BJohn Major
- CClement Attlee
- DMargaret Thatcher
Following Mrs Thatcher came John Major, who helped set the Northern Ireland peace process going. (The 1970s onwards, Thatcher, Blair and Brexit)
403.Which party led by Tony Blair was elected in 1997?
- AThe Conservative Party
- BA coalition
- CThe Liberal Democrats
- DThe Labour Party
In 1997 the Labour Party led by Tony Blair was elected and introduced a Scottish Parliament and a Welsh Assembly. (The 1970s onwards, Thatcher, Blair and Brexit)
404.Which TWO did the Blair government introduce?
Choose two
- AAn English Assembly
- BA Northern Ireland Parliament
- CA Welsh Assembly
- DA Scottish Parliament
In 1997 the Labour Party led by Tony Blair was elected and introduced a Scottish Parliament and a Welsh Assembly. (The 1970s onwards, Thatcher, Blair and Brexit)
405.In which year was the Good Friday Agreement signed?
- A2007
- B1998
- C1997
- D1999
The Good Friday Agreement was signed in 1998. (The 1970s onwards, Thatcher, Blair and Brexit)
406.Who took over as Prime Minister in 2007?
- AGordon Brown
- BTheresa May
- CDavid Cameron
- DTony Blair
Gordon Brown took over as Prime Minister in 2007. (The 1970s onwards, Thatcher, Blair and Brexit)
407.What happened in the General Election of May 2010?
- AThe Labour Party won a majority
- BThe Conservatives won a large majority
- CThe Liberal Democrats formed a government alone
- DNo political party won an overall majority
In May 2010 no political party won an overall majority in the General Election, for the first time since February 1974. (The 1970s onwards, Thatcher, Blair and Brexit)
408.Which parties formed the coalition government in 2010?
- AThe Conservatives and the Scottish National Party
- BLabour and the Liberal Democrats
- CThe Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats
- DThe Conservatives and Labour
The Conservative and Liberal Democrat parties formed a coalition in 2010 and David Cameron became Prime Minister. (The 1970s onwards, Thatcher, Blair and Brexit)
409.On what date was the referendum on EU membership held?
- A13 July 2016
- B31 January 2020
- C23 June 2016
- D7 May 2015
The referendum on the UK's membership of the European Union was held on 23 June 2016. (The 1970s onwards, Thatcher, Blair and Brexit)
410.By what margin did the UK vote to leave the European Union?
- A51.9% to 48.1%
- B48.1% to 51.9%
- C55% to 45%
- D60% to 40%
When the European Union formed in 1993 it absorbed the European Economic Community. (The 1970s onwards, Thatcher, Blair and Brexit)
411.On what date did the UK formally leave the European Union?
- A23 June 2016
- B24 July 2019
- C31 January 2020
- D13 July 2016
The UK formally left the European Union on 31 January 2020. (The 1970s onwards, Thatcher, Blair and Brexit)
412.In which year was the European Economic Community formed?
- A1957
- B2016
- C1993
- D1973
The European Economic Community was founded in 1957 by Italy, France, West Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. (The 1970s onwards, Thatcher, Blair and Brexit)
413.Did the UK use the Euro currency?
- AOnly in Northern Ireland
- BYes, from 1993
- CYes, from 2002
- DNo
See "The 1970s onwards, Thatcher, Blair and Brexit" in the official study guide.
414.When was the Northern Ireland Parliament suspended and direct rule introduced?
- A1969
- B1972
- C1998
- D2002
Direct rule from the UK government followed the suspension of Northern Ireland's Parliament in 1972. (The 1970s onwards, Thatcher, Blair and Brexit)
415.About how many people lost their lives in the violence in Northern Ireland after 1969?
- ASome 30,000
- BSome 300,000
- CSome 3,000
- DSome 300
Northern Irish violence after 1969 cost some 3,000 lives over the following decades. (The 1970s onwards, Thatcher, Blair and Brexit)
Common questions
- How many questions are in the Life in the UK Test?
- The real test is 24 multiple-choice questions with 45 minutes to answer them, and you need 18 correct to pass. This page lists 415 practice questions drawn from the same official material, which is far more than any single sitting will ask you.
- Are these the real Life in the UK Test questions?
- No, and nobody has them. No government publishes its live exam questions. These are written from Life in the UK: A Guide for New Residents (3rd edition), the official study guide the real questions are drawn from, so the facts being tested are the same even though the wording is ours.
- Do I need an account to read the questions and answers?
- No. Every question, its correct answer and its explanation is on this page with no signup and no payment. An account only matters if you want your progress saved across devices.
- How should I use the question bank?
- Reading answers is the weakest form of revision. Sit a timed test first to find out which chapters you are losing marks on, then come back here and read only those. Recognition feels like knowledge and is not the same thing.