Political principles

What personal qualities are required for a successful career in politics?

Honesty, integrity, trustworthiness, intelligence, exceptional oratorical ability and love of your fellow citizens regardless of race, gender or creed. If you can trump all that, then you are in.
Paul Wentworth Ancaster, Ontario, Canada

• In light of recent events, intelligence might be a good one to start with.
Richard Orlando, Westmount, Quebec, Canada

• A thick hide.
RM Fransson, Wheat Ridge, Colorado, US

• None. They only ever exhibit personal failings.
Rusty Hanna, Batchelor, Northern Territory, Australia

• Absolutely none whatsoever.
Malcolm Shuttleworth, Odenthal, Germany

• Being able to keep a straight face while telling the electorate what they want to hear.
David Tucker, Halle, Germany

• For men, to be able to tie the Windsor knot, and for women, to stock up on trousers.
Peter Stone, Sydney, Australia

• Only to be proficient in the Fine Art of Skilful Evasion.
Sunil Bajaria, London, UK

• Successful politicians must be able to appear sincere to many: champions of the poor, friends with the wealthy, on the side of the bankers. They must be able to lie with conviction, to dissemble with dignity, to be all things to all men and women. They must never upset the voters, for their sole aim is to remain in power at all costs.
Derek Malpass, Hohenthann, Germany

• Aggression, nationalism and dishonesty.
Pat Phillips, Adelaide, South Australia

• On recent evidence, it seems you need the skin of an elephant, the pride of a lion, and the forked tongue of a snake – and to be president, you don’t even need to have a career in politics!
Avril Taylor, Dundas, Ontario, Canada

• Ambition, ambition, ambition and knowing to get out while the getting is good.
Lawrie Bradly, Surrey Hills, Victoria, Australia

For those whose blood is blue

Is family background a decider?

I come from a family of seven. Brown, hazel and blue eyes. Curly hair, straight hair. Father’s bad teeth, mother’s good teeth. Proficient, clumsy. Sociable, unsociable. Voted right, voted left, did not vote. Five remained in France, two married abroad. Four golden weddings, three divorces. Two believers, three agnostics, two atheists. All seven loved mathematics.
Amy Gibson, London, UK

• I always blame my family’s culture of blame.
Bernard Galton, St-Nazaire-sur-Charente, France

• Prince Charles, in his wait to become monarch, may say so.
Ursula Nixon, Bodalla, NSW, Australia

• Only if you are blue-blooded.
R De Braganza, Kilifi, Kenya

Nothing Fawlty about it

What comedy film still makes you laugh?

Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life – incidentally, my favourite sketch of all times is when Basil Fawlty attacks his car with the branch. I still roar with laughter at that.
Diana Smith, Arlington, Virginia, US

• Inspector Clouseau with Peter Sellers; his subtle humour was hilarious.
David R Morris, Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada

Any answers?

What determines the speed at which clouds move?
Graham Martin, Aston Somerville, Worcestershire, UK

Why does our foresight rarely match our hindsight?
John Benseman, Auckland, New Zealand

Send answers to weekly.nandq@theguardian.com