An American president has to be American-born, but does a British prime minister have to be British born?

The American president is both head of state and chief executive, roles that in Britain are carried out by the monarch and the prime minister respectively. There are no restrictions on either the monarch or prime minister being British-born — the Duke of Wellington was born in Ireland which at the time of his birth was a colony, while in 1953 the Duke of Edinburgh, who was Greek-born, was created Regent Designate until Prince Charles reached the age of 18.

Martin Vlietstra, Fleet, Hants

There is no neccessity for British prime ministers to be born in Britain. Andrew Bonar Law 1858-1923, though of Ulster Scots and Scottish descent, was born in Rexton, New Brunswick, Canada.

Richard Lichten, Bowdon, Cheshire

The only unwritten qualifications to be PM still appear to be leadership of the majority party in the House of Commons and a member of it at the time of taking office.

Bruce Parker, Appleshaw, Hants

I have searched most quotation books without success. What is the origin of the phrase “going to hell in a handcart”?

The phrase is obviously very old: there is a little gold model of Gluttony being wheeled by Satan, in the guise of a cask of beer or wine, dating from the late 16th-early 17th century in the Grünes Gewölbe in Dresden.

Jane Whiter, Swavesey, Cambridge

How and when did the colours red and blue become attributed to the US Republican and Democratic parties, and how did it come about that the more Conservative party is red?

Both parties have traditionally used red, white and blue as their colours. In 2000 the TV companies agreed between themselves that, to avoid confusion, they would adopt red and blue as standard colours on election night maps. Red was agreed as the Republican colour and blue as the Democrat specifically to indicate that this was an arbitrary choice and did not impute any leanings to either party. The parties themselves have not agreed to these colours but appear to be using them de facto.