But how much do you know about the role of the chancellor and the people given the responsibility of holding the nation's purse strings? Try our quiz and find out.

Question 1

How many times did the words "prudent" or "prudence" appear in Gordon Brown�s 2004 budget speech?

A: 3 B: 7 C: 31

Question 2

Who was chancellor when the pound crashed out of the European Exchange Rate Mechanism in 1992?

A: Norman Lamont B: John Major C: Roy Jenkins

Question 3

Brown replaced the traditional old battered red budget box with a brand new one made in his constituency. In what year did he first use the new one?

A: 1996 B: 1997 C: 1998

Question 4

What is Gordon Brown's constituency?

A: Edinburgh Central B: Falkirk West C: Dunfermline East

Question 5

The chancellor is sometimes known as the Second Lord of the Treasury. Who has the title First Lord of the Treasury?

A: The Treasury Permanent Secretary B: The Prime Minister C: The Governor of the Bank of England

Question 6

In the 19th Century, how many times did William Gladstone occupy the post of Chancellor?

A: Twice B: Five times C: Four times

Question 7

Who was chancellor immediately before Gordon Brown?

A: Norman Lamont B: Kenneth Clarke C: Kenneth Williams

Question 8

Which chancellor in the 1940s had to resign after revealing a budget secret to a journalist?

A: Hugh Dalton B: Sir Stafford Cripps C: Harold Macmillan

Question 9

Which former well padded chancellor lost huge amounts of weight, and then wrote a diet cookbook based on his/her experience?

A: Nigella Lawson B: Nigel Lawson C: Roy Jenkins

Question 10

Which chancellor became prime minister when the incumbent resigned following a controversial and unpopular war in the Middle East?

A: Harold Macmillan B: Gordon Brown C: David Lloyd George

 Press the button and see how you have done