The Spectator

Which party has the most MPs’ children in Parliament?

Plus: air safety, and guessing Tony Blair’s wealth

Hilary Benn (Photo: Getty) 
issue 26 July 2014

Commons inheritance

Emily Benn, granddaughter of Tony and niece of Hilary, has won the right to stand for Labour in Croydon South. Which party produces the most political dynasties? Current MPs who had a parent in the Commons:

CONSERVATIVE James Arbuthnot, Richard Benyon, Dominic Grieve, Ben Gummer, Nick Hurd, Andrew Mitchell, Nicholas Soames, Mark Pawsey, Laura Sandys, Robin Walker, Bill Wiggin LABOUR Hilary Benn, John Cryer, Lindsay Hoyle, Anas Sawar, Andy Sawford, Alison Seabeck d.u.p. Ian Paisley Jnr

Air scares

The loss of a second Malaysian Airways airliner means that the number of worldwide casualties in civilian air disasters — 827 so far this year — has already exceeded that of last year, when 459 died. But it does little to disturb the steady downwards trend. These are the deadliest years for air passengers since 1945:
1972 3,344 deaths
1985 2,962
1973 2,815
1999 2,798
1974 2,621
And these are the least fatal:
2013 459 deaths
2004 767
2012 800
2011 828
2008 952
Source: Air Crashes Record Office

Running costs

Costs of the Glasgow Commonwealth Games compared with those of the London Olympics:

2012 OLYMPICS

2005 £2.4bn (est)
2007 £9.3bn

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