Meet the REAL ruling class: How 1 in 12 MPs is related to another politician in dynasties dating back 140 years

When it comes to being an MP it seems today's parliamentarians really are all in it together.

New research by Parliament reveals how 57 of the 650 people with a seat in the Commons are related to other serving or former MPs.

There are more MPs related to another politician than sit in the whole of the Liberal Democrat party.



It includes six married couples who sit alongside each other on the famous green leather benches, 21 MPs whose parents served in the Commons and three pairs of siblings.

Among them are David Cameron's great-grandfather Sir William Mount, a Tory MP from 1900-06 and again from 1910-22, Ed Miliband's broth David who quit the Commons after losing out on the Labour leadership and married couples Ed Balls and Yvette Cooper, Duncan Hames and Jo Swinson, and Harriet Harman and Jack Dromey.

Here we take a look at some of the MPs and their connections which means they keep politics in the family.



FAMILY AFFAIRS

Prime Minister David Cameron is the great-grandson of former Tory MP Sir William Mount Nicholas Soames, Tory MP for Mid Sussex, is one of the best connected parliamentarians as the grandson of wartimer Prime Minister Winston Churchill



Nicholas Soames' connections to other former MPs include (left to right): FATHER: Christopher Soames was an MP for Bedford from 1950-66, and served as Secretary of State for War under Macmillan before becoming British ambassador to France; UNCLE: Randolph Spencer-Churchill was a Conservative Member of Parliament for Preston from 1940 to 1945; COUSIN: Winston Churchill, grandson of the wartime leader, was a Tory MP from 1970-97; GREAT-GRANDFATHER: Lord Randolph Churchill, a Tory MP 1874-94



Laura Sandys, current Tory MP for South Thanet, is the daughter of Duncan Sandys (right) (MP for Norwood 1935-45 and Streatham 1950-74), grand-daughter of George John Sandys (MP for Wells 1910-18) and granddaughter of Winston Churchill

Shadow communities secretary Hilary Benn, who served in the Blair and Brown governments, has been MP for Leeds Central since 1999

Hilary Benn's political relatives include (left to right): FATHER: Tony Benn was an MP for 50 years, serving in the Wilson and Callaghan Cabinets; GRANDFATHER: William Wedgwood Benn was elected as a Liberal and Labour MP several times between 1906 and 1942; GREAT-GRANDFATHER: Sir John Benn was a Liberal MP from 1892-95 and 1904-10



Labour's deputy leader Harriet Harman has been in the Commons since 1982 representing Camberwell and Peckham, but has two great-uncles who were MPs in the late 19th century

Harriet Harman's connections included: HUSBAND: Jack Dromey (left) joined her in the Commons in 2010 as MP for Birmingham Erdington: GREAT-GREAT-UNCLE: Joseph Chamberlain (right) an MP and statesman from 1876-1914; GREAT-GREAT-UNCLE: Richard Chamberlain, MP for Islington West 1885-92 (not pictured)



Elected in 2010, Labour MP Luciana Berger is the great-niece of Emanuel Shinwell who was a Labour MP from 1922-24, 1928-31, 1935-70. He served as Secretary of State for War and Minister of Defence in the Attlee government



Zac Goldsmith, elected Tory MP for Richmond Park ion 2010, has connections to three former MPs Zac Goldsmith's family connections include: GRANDFATHER: Frank Goldsmith (left) was a Tory MP for Stowmarket in Suffolk from 1910-18; GRANDFATHER Robin Vane-Tempest-Stewart, a Unionist MP for County Down from 1931-45 (not pictured) GREAT-GRANDFATHER: Charles Vane-Tempest-Stewart (right) was a Conservative MP in Maidstone from 1906-15

Labour's Wigan MP Lisa Nandy was elected in 2010, 60 years after her Liberal MP grand-father Frank Byers lost his seat in North Dorset

BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN ARMS

Sisters Maria Eagle (left) and Angela Eagle became the first twins to enter Parliament following the 1997 general election when Angela retained her Wallasey seat, while Maria won Liverpool Garston

Brothers in arms: London Mayor Boris Johnson was MP for Henley 2001-08, and his brother JO has been MP for Orpington since 2010

Ed Miliband saw brother David quit the Commons after beating him for the Labour leadership Keith Vaz has been Labour MP for Leicester East since 1987 and in 2010 was joined by sister Valerie, Labour MP for Walsall South



MARRIED COUPLES



Duncan Hames, an aide to Nick Clegg, is MP for Chippenham, is married to Business Minister Jo Swinson



Former Labour minister Nick Raynsford, an MP since 1986, is married to Alison Seabeck, Labour MP for Plymouth Devonport and the daughter of Michael Ward, a Labour MP in Peterborough in the 1970s

