I have been struck by how many people comment on the weekly quiz question. It is a regular topic of conversation whenever the blog gets mentioned. Readers appear to enjoy reading it, attempting it (not necessarily by writing in), or finding out what the answers are. I know some like to attempt it without reading the comments, rather like those who attempt crosswords even though the solutions may be published in the same issue.
Several people have commented on how much they enjoy it, even though they cannot answer the questions, a category that includes some members of the House. I thought this week I would make it a little different and come up with a challenging, but I hope not overly demanding, question and one where we can have more than one winner.
The winners will be the first three readers to identify three women peers presently in the House who have served as Cabinet ministers in the House of Commons. There are more than three women peers who have served as Cabinet ministers in the Commons, so not all answers will necessarily be identical. And one or two names should come to mind, I would have thought, fairly easily…
Baroness Williams of Crosby
Baroness Bottomley of Nettlestone
Baroness Morris of Yardley
“And one or two names should come to mind, I would have thought, fairly easily…”
…and the third one was a bit of a b***er! Which is how quizzes should be, of course.
Baroness (Margaret) Thatcher, former PM, Minister of Education under Edward Heath etc.
My favourite crossbencher, Baroness (Shirley) Williams of Crosby, with whom I had a most enjoyable train journey from Lincoln to Newark during the Winter of Discontent, whilst on strike as a local journalist. She was then Minister of Education and had come to Lincoln to support then Lincoln MP Margaret Beckett nee Jackson (then one of her junior ministers) in the then forthcoming 1979 General Election. She kindly agreed to be interviewed for our strike newspaper.
Margaret sadly lost Lincoln, but had the compensation of being proposed to the same night by her agent Leo, with whom she has been happily (I trust) married since. I had the misfortune to walk in half way through the proposal at Lincoln Labour HQ to bare the sad tidings of Shirley’s defeat at Stevenage (not my best moment!)
And the one that had me guessing. Nevertheless I diligently ploughed through a list to some up with Baroness (Virginia) Bottomley of Nettlestone, the former Health Minister.
And now, to adapt the late Spike Milligan, I claim my free fibreglass coffin and the chance to be buried with the Noble Baroness of my choice!
Oh, by the way, on my researches I came across
http://www.parliament.uk/documents/upload/HofLBpmembership.pdf
which, as it stands, makes your Noble Lords and Ladyships look like something rather nasty’s happening to you half way through a Dr Who episode. Maybe a word in the right ear that a few more pixels on the front wouldn’t come amiss?
Ladies Shephard of Northwold, Williams of Crosby & Thatcher – all in the cabinet at the DoE. Indeed I could keep going with Morris of Yardley at the same. I think the number of female cabinet ministers in total is in the 30s.
My curiosity is definitely caught wondering which peers do the quiz. 🙂
Baroness Thatcher
Baroness Bottomley of Nettlestone
Baroness Shephard of Northwold
I’ll admit, that was quite entertaining. And didn’t take as long as I expected…
Baroness Thatcher, Baroness Bottomley of Nettlestone and Baroness Morris of Yardley. Those are the first three who came to mind.
I’m not sure if Prime Minister counts as a “Cabinet minister” (‘though I don’t see why not) but Mrs Thatcher was Education Secretary before anyway.
Some obvious ones, I’m afraid: Margaret Thatcher, Virginia Bottomley, Estelle Morris
Baroness Thatcher
Baroness Williams of Crosby
Baroness Shephard of Northwold
I think I seem to have hit on a winning formula. This question generated several contributions, some noting that it did require a little reflection, or in some cases some research, to identify three names.
Congratulations. Michael, stephenpaterson and Croft were the first three to respond, each identifying three current women peers who have served as Cabinet ministers in the Commons. Len, Jonathan, AJackson and Steph also receive commendations for contributing correct answers as well.
The answers, though, do throw up another fascinating question. I will post this as a supplementary question.
On specific points: stephenpaterson – I checked the link and I see what you mean! Croft – I don’t know if any peers do contribute answers, but a number certainly read the blog and find the quiz interesting. One (a holder of ministerial office) volunteered that he was an avid reader of the blog, adding ‘but I can’t answer the quiz questions’. I have tried to avoid obviously ‘in’ questions so as not to privilege those who work within the Palace. Jonathan – you are right in assuming that Margaret Thatcher counts both as PM and as Secretary of State for Education.
Croft, I do the quiz of course…
Point of order:
are we talking ‘a cup of tea’ or ‘high tea’, since the incentive for an answeree diminishes the further from London she gets.
Unless travel share is on offer…
Baroness (Gillian) Shephard of Northwold
Baroness (Estelle) Morris of Yardley
Baroness (Margaret) Thatcher
Baroness (Shirley) Williams of Crosby