Blue passports, Big Ben and Bpoplive: the Brexit referendum anniversary quiz
Who put Theresa May’s back up on Instagram, what did Boris Johnson say about bananas and much more
It is 10 years since the British public decided to pack up its troubles in its old kit bag, give Jacques Delors the final up yours and march off into an EU-free paradise. Opinions may differ on how that has worked out. Certainly several of the architects of the whole thing are enjoying lovely well-paid retirements on the speaking circuit or have seats in the House of Lords. Anyway, here are 18 questions about Brexit and the referendum campaign. How much do you remember about some of the weirder aspects of those few weeks, months and then years as the UK negotiated its exit?
The Guardian 10th anniversary Brexit referendum quiz
- 1.Theresa May commissioned a national festival celebrating British creativity in 2018 that cost taxpayers £120m. Initially known as the Festival of Brexit, what was it eventually called?
UnleashedUnboxedUnspooledUnhingedReveal - 2.Where are our blue passports made?
ItalyFranceSpainSlovakiaReveal - 3.In one of the stranger bits of the campaign, Nigel Farage ended up in a ‘battle’ on the River Thames with which pop star?
Feargal Sharkey of the UndertonesSting of the PoliceBob Geldof of Boomtown RatsRonald Mael of SparksReveal - 4.Also strange. On one Brexit referendum campaign visit, which leader of the Liberal Democrats performed the John Barnes rap from EnglandNewOrder’s World In Motion?
Tim FarronJo SwinsonVince CableMenzies CampbellReveal - 5.Which politician asked for article 50 to be invoked the day after the referendum, saying: ‘The British people have made their decision. We must respect that result and srticle 50 has to be invoked now’?Arlene FosterLiz TrussMichael GoveJeremy CorbynReveal
- 6.Which prime minister did invoke article 50?David CameronTheresa MayBoris JohnsonLiz TrussReveal
- 7.The numbers 52-48 as the Brexit vote split for the UK as a whole are etched on everybody’s memory. But what was the split in Scotland, which voted to remain?
62-3859-4156-4453-47Reveal - 8.Bpoplive was an ill-fated attempt at a youth-orientated music festival that at various points was billing members of Buck’s Fizz (some of whom are pictured), members of East 17 and members of Five Star as its main attraction. Unsurprisingly eventually cancelled, where was it to have been held?
GatesheadGosportLondonBirminghamReveal - 9.Some musicians are easy to predict. Johnny Marr backed remain and Morrissey backed leave. But Canadian Bryan Adams also weighed in on Brexit, for some reason. Which side did he back?
Was his view Everything I Do (I’d Leave The EU) … ?Or was it Run To EU, in favour of remain?Reveal - 10.How many pages did the draft withdrawal agreement between the UK and the EU have?
285385485585Reveal - 11.What was the name of the party a group of anti-Brexit centrist MPs including Anna Soubry tried to set up?
Challenge UKChoice UKChange UKChoose UKReveal - 12.How much money was raised to try to make Big Ben bong on Brexit day?
£272,000Don’t be so sillyReveal - 13.Boris Johnson is famed for introducing the ‘bendy banana’ story about the EU to the UK. But what claim about bananas did he make during the referendum campaign?
The EU will ban shops from selling bananas that curve to the left, requiring all imported fruit to curve to the rightThe EU will standardise the exact shade of yellow a banana must be using a Pantone colour code, making it illegal to sell fruit that is ‘excessively green or spotted’The EU will require each individual banana to carry a micro-stamped ‘fruit passport’ indicating its exact plantation of originThe EU will ban the sale of bananas in bunches of more than two or threeReveal - 14.Who irritated Theresa May by posting a picture of them together with the caption ‘A piece of cake, perhaps? Sorry, no cherries’ on Instagram?
Jean-Claude JunckerMichel BarnieDonald TuskGuy VerhofstadtReveal - 15.Who stood up in parliament urging MPs on behalf of the government to back a short extension of article 50, then immediately went and voted against it?
Jacob Rees-MoggSteve BarclayDavid DavisLee AndersonReveal - 16.The famous Brexit bus went on to have a respray and was immediately used to take which pop star to their appearance at Glastonbury?
Gareth GatesWill YoungGirls AloudRachel StevensReveal - 17.Where did Boris Johnson and Michael Gove give their downbeat ‘victory’ press conference?
The Institute of DirectorsThe SavoyWestminster TowerFour Seasons Total LandscapingReveal - 18.What did David Cameron do as he walked away from the lectern after resigning?
Hummed a jaunty little tuneLoudly blew his nose into a hankieWhistled to himselfMuttered ‘Boris Johnson is a ******* ****’ under his breathReveal
It is just for fun and there are no prizes – not even a seat in the House of Lords. If you think there has been an egregious error in a question or answer, do feel free to contact guardian.readers@theguardian.com. Or why not watch this incredible compilation of how we got to where we are today instead …
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