It's been said many times before that men will choose a wife who resembles their own mother. I'm not going to get into some deep Freudian discussion about why that would be, but you'll find plenty of articles online about the subject.

I'd always dismissed it as a crackpot theory, but then saw this photograph of the Hain family. Just to put you right as to who's who in it, from the left is the Baron himself, then standing at the rear is Elizabeth Zaidee Haywood Hain (wife of the Baron), then Walter Hain - the family patriarch. Sitting down is their close family friend, Nelson, and next to Nelson is Adelaine Hain, family matriarch.

I just cannot get over how much Liz looks like her mother-in-law, Ad. The shape of the eyes, the nose, even the smile and jawline are similar. What mainly sets them apart is the size of the heads. The Baron and his mother - well their heads look enormous in comparison to the others. Poor old Nelson's head looks like a doll between theirs. Is this a trick of the lens, one wonders? A free pint in Wetherspoons to anyone who can send me a hat or safety helmet worn by the Baron. I want to see if his head is really as big as it seems. I've always said Peter Hain had the skin of a rhinoceros but I never expected him to have a head as big as one as well.

"One day, Nelson, we'll name a Neath road after you"

"Stop taking the piss, Peter, that's about as likely as you accepting a seat in the House of Lords."