FREE! Click here to Join FunTrivia. Thousands of games, quizzes, and lots more!

That's News To Me (11) Trivia Quiz

Another chance to test your knowledge of current affairs. A quiz made in Britain at the end of December 2004.

A multiple-choice quiz by rialto88. Estimated time: 6 mins.

Author
rialto88

Time
6 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
198,598

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
15

Difficulty
Tough

Avg Score
9 / 15

Plays
769

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 15

1. Throughout the last few weeks of 2004 one politician's name was repeatedly in the headlines in Britain. The headlines related to his affair with a married woman, his claim for paternity over two of her children, and the alleged fast tracking of a visa for the children's nanny. Who was the politician, and from which post did he eventually resign in December 2004? Hint

David Blunkett resigned as Foreign Secretary.

David Blunkett resigned as Home Secretary.

John Prescott resigned as Deputy Prime Minister.

John Prescott resigned as Home Secretary.

NEXT>

Question 2 of 15

2. At the end of 2004, the British bookmakers William Hill offered to take bets at 66/1 on which of the following events? Hint

Tony Blair resigning as Prime Minister in 2005.

Tony Blair, the Prime Minster, growing a moustache in 2005.

George Bush becoming Prime Minister in 2005.

All of these.

NEXT>

Question 3 of 15

3. Which British politician was covered in slurry from a bucket, thrown over him in December 2004? Hint

Robert Kilroy-Silk

David Blunkett

Tony Blair

All of these

NEXT>

Question 4 of 15

4. In December 2004, it was revealed that a company maintaining part of the London Transport Underground network was using eBay (an internet auction site) to buy parts for their famous transport system.

True

False

NEXT>

Question 5 of 15

5. On Boxing Day 2004 (that's 26th December 2004 for those who do not know the English festivals), what type of activity attracted more than 300,000 spectators in England and Wales? Hint

cross-country running

tobogganing

ice-skating

fox-hunting

NEXT>

Question 6 of 15

6. In December 2004, which country had an elected president removed by the Supreme Court (due to irregularities in the conduct of the election) and another president elected in his place? Hint

Scotland

Russia

Ukraine

Latvia

NEXT>

Question 7 of 15

7. In December 2004, the British Prime Minister Tony Blair admitted that Britain would miss its 20% target for what? Hint

Reducing green-house gas emissions.

Reducing the number of air flights.

Reducing the number of Members of Parliament.

Reducing the number of car jouneys.

NEXT>

Question 8 of 15

8. Which of the following countries was a member of the Kyoto agreement in December 2004? Hint

U.S.A.

None of them

Australia

China

NEXT>

Question 9 of 15

9. What was the Millennium Dome in London used for at the end of December 2004? Hint

For a sports event.

None of these.

For a public exhibition of fine art.

As a Christmas shelter for homeless people.

NEXT>

Question 10 of 15

10. In December 2004, Michael Howard (the Conservative Party leader) said that if he would be elected he would cut the number of Memebers of Parliament by about a fifth.

True

False

NEXT>

Question 11 of 15

11. Which organization said in December 2004 that it intended to save over �300 million and shed 3,000 jobs? Hint

The police

The British Broadcasting Corporation

The armed services

None of these

NEXT>

Question 12 of 15

12. In December 2004, a huge bank robbery took place that is thought to have netted about �22 million. Where did it take place? Hint

Glasgow

Dublin

Belfast

London

NEXT>

Question 13 of 15

13. Which of the following two people visited Iraq towards the end of December 2004? Hint

Tony Blair and George Bush

Tony Blair and Donald Rumsfeld

Donald Rumsfeld and David Blunkett

David Blunkett and Colin Powell

NEXT>

Question 14 of 15

14. On Christmas Eve 2004, which group of staff staged a walk-out over the excessive hours that they were being asked to work at Christmas time? Hint

London West End store staff

British Airways ground staff

British Broadcasting Corporation journalists

Post Office counter staff

NEXT>

Question 15 of 15

15. In their Christmas messages for 2004 the Queen called for tolerance and understanding between cultural and religious groups. The Pope showed his concern at global conflicts and Cardinal Murphy-O'Connor (head of the Catholic Church in England and Wales) criticised the billions of pounds spent on the Iraq war and not on poverty.

True

False

(Optional) Create a Free FunTrivia ID to save the points you are about to earn:

Select a User ID:

Choose a Password:

Your Email:

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

Answer: David Blunkett resigned as Home Secretary.

The media provided the public with a farce worthy of the West End stage. It included the publication of Blunkett's biography, which had some rather telling comments on his cabinet colleagues that first led to some speedy apologies from the then Home Secretary. Blunkett resigned when more than he had expected was revealed about the fast tracking of the visa.

However, the Prime Minister and Blunkett seemed to think he'll be back. Knowing the way that Britain is now run, I agree with the media pundit who expects to see Blunkett return to public life as the next Archbishop of Canterbury.

2. At the end of 2004, the British bookmakers William Hill offered to take bets at 66/1 on which of the following events?

Answer: Tony Blair, the Prime Minster, growing a moustache in 2005.

There is very little that you can not bet on in an English bookmakers. However, a few shrewdly placed bets by Mr Blair and we could have the British economy genuinely on the up! (Any link between moustaches and dictators is of course a matter of pure coincidence).

3. Which British politician was covered in slurry from a bucket, thrown over him in December 2004?

Answer: Robert Kilroy-Silk

Apparently he was caught by a protester on a visit to the B.B.C. radio studio in Manchester. Mr Kilroy-Silk is a member of the United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP)and a European M.P. The attacker claimed to be acting in the name of Islam. British politics has a reputation for "mud slinging", but this was was going a little far.

Answer: True

Apparently the London Underground system is so old that resorting to eBay is the only way to obtain the necessary spare parts in some cases.

5. On Boxing Day 2004 (that's 26th December 2004 for those who do not know the English festivals), what type of activity attracted more than 300,000 spectators in England and Wales?

Answer: fox-hunting

Parliament had outlawed fox-hunting from February 2005.

6. In December 2004, which country had an elected president removed by the Supreme Court (due to irregularities in the conduct of the election) and another president elected in his place?

Answer: Ukraine

The pro-Moscow candidate Viktor Yanukovych was elected and then replaced after massive public protests and a new election. The eventual winner was Viktor Yuschenko who appears to be pro-European. It must be pure chance that they both have the same first name of "Viktor"?

7. In December 2004, the British Prime Minister Tony Blair admitted that Britain would miss its 20% target for what?

Answer: Reducing green-house gas emissions.

Britain had a target to reduce green-house gas emissions to 20% below 1990 levels by 2010. Blair claimed that Britain was on target to reach a 12.5% reduction required by the Kyoto Protocol. Many observers see both targets as totally inadequate to reverse a global catastrophe that is fast approaching the point of no return.

8. Which of the following countries was a member of the Kyoto agreement in December 2004?

Answer: None of them

If you add to that list India you can see what a mess this world is heading towards! (The Kyoto Protocol requires that green-house gas emissions be reduced by 20% below 1990 levels by 2010).

9. What was the Millennium Dome in London used for at the end of December 2004?

Answer: As a Christmas shelter for homeless people.

Run by "Crisis", the Dome was, temporarily at least, put to a good use.

10. In December 2004, Michael Howard (the Conservative Party leader) said that if he would be elected he would cut the number of Memebers of Parliament by about a fifth.

Answer: True

He said this to the "Sunday Times" and also promised to reduce the number of special government advisers ("spin doctors" in media parlance). If he goes ahead with the later aim we could be faced with mass unemployment in the eyes of some media cynics!

11. Which organization said in December 2004 that it intended to save over �300 million and shed 3,000 jobs?

Answer: The British Broadcasting Corporation

Mark Thompson, the Director-General of the B.B.C., announced these changes in a further attempt to bring the B.B.C. into line with current needs.

12. In December 2004, a huge bank robbery took place that is thought to have netted about �22 million. Where did it take place?

Answer: Belfast

The headquarters of the Northern Bank were subject to one of the biggest robberies that the UK has ever witnessed. Unfortunately for the robbers, the money was in local notes that, it is claimed, will be readily identifiable when used and harder to "launder" than standard British notes. (Scottish and Northern Ireland banks issue their own notes, which are rarely used in other parts of the UK).

13. Which of the following two people visited Iraq towards the end of December 2004?

Answer: Tony Blair and Donald Rumsfeld

Tony Blair, the British Prime Minister, visited Baghdad and Donald Rumsfeld, the U.S. Defence Secretary, also had a visit to Iraq. Sadly the hostilities there still continue with growing venom.

14. On Christmas Eve 2004, which group of staff staged a walk-out over the excessive hours that they were being asked to work at Christmas time?

Answer: Post Office counter staff

Post Office counter staff walked out at many Post Offices particularly annoyed by extended hours on Christmas Eve.

Answer: True

Correct - and with the horrific news that started to come in from countries hit by the underwater earthquake on Boxing Day, will all politicians with influence please start listening properly?

Source: Author rialto88

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor bloomsby before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.