What Should Go On the New British Citizenship Test?

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Call yourself a British citizen? Alright: which landmark is a prehistoric monument that still stands in the English county of Wiltshire?  Don't know? Get the fuck out.

The all-new British citizenship test comes into force this week and is supposedly going to place more emphasis on British history and achievements than previous tests. But does knowing about ancient kings and queens who nobody English knows about really have any bearing on how good a British citizen you'd be? We didn't really think so, so we went to ask some strangers on the street what they thought should be on the new British citizenship test.

Peter, chef: I think the whole thing is rubbish. I’ve got the test right here on my phone – there's an app to study for it. I'm sitting it this year because I want to be a “British citizen”.

Do you think the questions are right for the test?
I mean, some are irrelevant, like the ones asking when kids sit certain exams, or what you should call certain bits of parliament and blah, blah, blah. Actually, I don't think many of them are relevant.

Do you think studying for the test would make you more culturally informed than most British people?
I don’t want to say yes, but yeah possibly. It would be interesting to see British people sitting the test as well, actually.

What would you expect people to do to become a citizen in your native country?
To know the culture. Not so much all the government stuff, but the everyday culture. So, like, being respectful of the established traditions and cultures in the country because they're bringing their own with them. But what even is British culture? Curries and kebabs or something like that?

Yep. And Morris dancing.

Amanda, quality manager: I guess questions that they'd actually be able to answer. Most people from this country won't know about old kings and queens and that kind of thing, so you can't expect foreigners to know all that.

So questions that are more relevant to modern life?
Yeah. But then I don’t know, because what sort of questions would you ask? Is there a right set of questions that everyone who's lived here all their lives would be able to answer? It's quite subjective.

Why do you think we need a British citizenship test?
I don’t think it's imperative, but if you want to be part of the British country and economy, then I think you should show some interest. I mean, if I went over to another country and wanted to be a part of their country, I would have the decency to learn about their culture. For example, in the Arab world, knowing to cover up because it's respectful of their culture.

That's good of you.

Alucia, secretary: Umm, why they want to be a British citizen? But I guess that’s probably already on there, yeah?

I have no idea. What do you think about the historical questions? For example, what is the name of the admiral who has a monument in Trafalgar Square?
Okay, no one is going know that. I couldn't answer that, for sure. My dad probably couldn't even answer it and he's lived here his whole life.

It's Nelson.
Oh yeah! I did know that.

Okay.

Edward: No idea.

Okay. Well, what would you expect to do if you were trying to become a citizen of another country?
I've already done it. I had to live there for about 20 years. Then I had to marry a citizen of that country – which I actually didn't do – then I had to demonstrate that I contributed to the country, either financially or culturally. I had to get six sponsors who were well-known citizens. And I had to do an interview, where I was turned down three times before I finally got it. So I can safely say it was stricter than it is here.

Chris: Maybe, like, who won the latest X Factor – it's a kind of cultural finger-print. But no, I think it should be more about how to actually get by in the country; basic English questions, stuff like that.

Do you think some people revising the test might become more culturally informed than a British citizen?
I think whoever compiles that test needs to be a bit more up to date and have their finger on the pulse with what really matters and happens. More questions on just how to get on and get by, really. It should be a test to help people, not on whether they want to come here. They wouldn’t be applying if they didn’t want to come here.

Very true. What do you think people need to do to prove their citizenship?
I think if they're coming here voluntarily rather than asylum seeking, English language is probably a good call. Everyone's worried that the influx of Polish – and, in the past, Jamaicans, Africans and Asians – are here to steal jobs, so it's convincing people that they're ingratiating themselves into the culture rather than being a threat to their livelihoods.

Previously - Who Would You Want to Be Trapped with?