New British citizenship test puts emphasis on history, culture and even humour

LONDON – What does it mean to be British? The government wants immigrants to learn about everything from Margaret Thatcher to Monty Python before they can become British citizens.

The government is revising the “Life in the U.K.” handbook and test taken by those seeking to settle in Britain.

While the previous version contained some practical questions about daily life, the emphasis is now on British history and culture. There are questions on sports, music and historical figures from William Shakespeare to Winston Churchill.

The government says the new handbook, published Monday, also features “an exploration of Britons’ unique sense of humour and satire.”

It says the goal is to help new arrivals understand the “values and principles at the heart of being British.”

The new test will be introduced in March.