I SENSE major ructions in the Blair household. Tony has always played up to his image as devoted husband and father and, like most MPs, he has become adept at using his family as a political tool. Dropping references to his children - his fears for them and hopes for their future - into political speeches to dramatise a point is now second nature.

Meanwhile, Cherie, who recently took out injunctions against a former nanny and who was apparently behind the attempted ban on pictures of the family on holiday following the publication of the photographs taken at Leo's christening, is behaving like a threatened lioness desperate to protect her cubs.

Who can blame her, following Euan's recent drunken escapade, for feeling increasingly protective? But perhaps she should divert her attention for a moment from the (in this instance) generally well-behaved and scarcely predatory Press and cast her eye, instead, over her husband.

Remember that leaked memo in April? "It is bizarre that any government I lead should be seen as anti-family" he wrote, obviously acutely aware of the significance of his parental role. Perhaps this is why, just after Leo's birth in May, he stepped out of his front door clutching a mug with a picture of his children on it.

More recently, and ironically just days before The Northern Echo was lambasted for publishing a harmless snapshot of baby Leo taken by a North-East teacher, Blair couldn't resist mentioning his baby in a major international speech on the Genome project: "I think of my little boy, Leo, growing up and learning things that his grandfather, after whom he was named, could not even have dreamt of." All very touching from a Prime Minister obviously keen to portray himself as a doting parent and family man. But hardly the way to keep this particular little cub out of the limelight. Over to you, Cherie.

AFTER so many articles, television documentaries and radio programmes, it is impossible to escape the fact the Queen Mother is 100 today. Critics say that she is over-indulged and have objected to the cost of the celebrations. But in one, symbolic sense at least, those celebrations are hugely important. In some cultures, the wisdom and experience of old age is cherished and revered. The younger generation is brought up to be appreciative of all their elders have done, and to care for them in return.

Sadly, we live in a youth-centred society where, all too often, the needs of the frail and elderly are ignored, even considered a burden. The highly-privileged Queen Mum is hardly a typical pensioner, but hopefully the very public recognition and celebration of the role she has played in her family life over the years will also reflect on all those of her generation who have given us so much and to whom we should all be grateful.

I HAVE read thousands of words about Jerry Hall's stage appearance in The Graduate. There have been heated debates over whether a 44-year-old mother should be flaunting her sexuality. Should her children watch? What did her ex-husband think? What about stretch marks? Did her breasts sag? But nowhere was her acting ability even touched upon. Clever Jerry, criticised for hammy performances in the past, has chosen wisely - she can be confident the production will be a sell-out.

SOME readers may have noticed my photo at the top of this page has changed. For three-and-a-half years I appeared looking smug and chubby cheeked. Now (the photographer turned up on a particularly bad hair day, when I had been up half the night with the baby) my husband tells me I look hideous. A friend said I look "like a 50-year-old who has had plastic surgery". Still, as my sister says: "She could have said you looked like a 60-year-old who hasn't."