Migration minister Mike Tapp failed a UK citizenship test question before insisting he is a "proud Brit." Speaking at a parliamentary committee on settlement, citizenship, and integration on Tuesday, 10 March, the Labour MP for Dover and Deal admitted he did not know the height of the London Eye - one of the questions in the official UK citizenship test. "I am confident that I would be able to pass the test, I'm a proud Brit," he added, but promised to "take a keen interest" in knowing the answer "when it comes up again" in the same meeting next year. Chair of the committee, Lord Don Foster, said he will "follow up" on Mr Tapp's word.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.zip/post/60568257

Migration minister Mike Tapp failed a UK citizenship test question before insisting he is a “proud Brit.” Speaking at a parliamentary committee on settlement, citizenship, and integration on Tuesday, 10 March, the Labour MP for Dover and Deal admitted he did not know the height of the London Eye - one of the questions in the official UK citizenship test. “I am confident that I would be able to pass the test, I’m a proud Brit,” he added, but promised to “take a keen interest” in knowing the answer “when it comes up again” in the same meeting next year. Chair of the committee, Lord Don Foster, said he will “follow up” on Mr Tapp’s word.

    • Link@rentadrunk.orgEnglish
      3·
      1 hour ago

      My parents have taken this test and passed but it is purely a memory test and full of questions that the vast majority of British people would never know. Many of them aren’t even taught in UK schools. I firmly believe that more than 50% of British people would fail this test if they were asked to sit it tomorrow.

      You can find many practice tests online by searching Life in the UK test and you will be able to see the absurdity of some of the questions.

      I’m pretty sure one of the questions is what day is Christmas Day? I’m not too sure what this has to do with Britain as most countries in the world celebrate it on the 25th but it is a free point!

      This is not even mentioning the cost of over £2000 for the citizenship and the mandatory ceremony when you pass.

    • StrongHorseWeakNeigh@piefed.socialEnglish
      34·
      9 hours ago

      I saw the headline and was ready to clown on the guy but then I actually read the question and I thought yeah, no. That’s fair to not know actually. Why is that on the citizenship test? That’s just silly

    • schnurrito@discuss.tchncs.deEnglish
      28·
      10 hours ago

      Seriously though; most citizenship tests I’ve seen in my life (on the Internet; I’ve never changed my citizenship, so have never actually taken one) ask about things like how various governmental institutions work, not the dimensions of randomly selected landmarks. Is this a well known piece of information in the UK?

      • CrypticCoffee@lemmy.mlEnglish
        10·
        5 hours ago

        No. Most of it is irrelevant trivia most Brits do not know. Most Brits would fail. It’s just a sucky memory test hurdle to block immigrants. The charges are also scandalous etc.

      • justme@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
        7·
        9 hours ago

        Our something like, whether a certain action is allowed that might not be in other parts of the world. So simply questions which check if you can integrate into the society.

    • KryptonBlur@slrpnk.netEnglish
      293·
      11 hours ago

      It isn’t a Ferris wheel, it’s a cantilevered observation wheel. Its height still shouldn’t be on the test.