With the parliamentary recess, you’d be forgiven for thinking we would get a break from political scandal, shock and awe.
But one person has ensured scandal has made its way back into one political household. Sally Bercow, Labour luvvie and wife of Speaker John Bercow, bewildered Britain as she swapped her grace-and-favour flat for the Big Brother house – with plenty of posing for the cameras along the way.
Sally Bercow has long complained of her plight of being a politician’s WAG. The would-be-MP has insisted she should not have to live in her husband’s goldfish bowl… yet she’s quite content living in Big Brother’s, it would seem.
Reacquainting herself on the show with that infamous bedsheet could hardly have embarrassed her husband in a more public and inappropriate setting.
In her hunger for fame and fortune, Mrs Bercow has let slip her drug-taking, one-night-stand past, and life between the sheets with the Speaker. But nothing could quite prepare him or us for her next desperate bid for stardom – entering the washed-up house of celeb rejects.
She confessed her motives were to stick two fingers up at the establishment.
I’m sorry Sally, but you cannot behave like that when your husband holds such a sensitive and high-profile role. We all have our grumbles, the bosses we don’t get on well with, but we wouldn’t exactly tell that boss just what we thought candidly.
The difference between the majority of us and Sally is dignity. She is an intelligent woman. So why has it has taken her so long to realise that, whether or not she thinks it is wrong, as the wife of a politician she has a responsibility to behave in a dignified way – the same way we expect (though don’t always get) from MPs?
Instead of her media tantrums and Daily Mail wails, why does she not instead observe the behaviour of her fellow Marlborough College alumna, Samantha Cameron?
Her erstwhile schoolmate could teach her a thing or two about reserve. While Sally has taken to Twitter to moan about being called the Speaker’s wife, Samantha Cameron has quietly continued with her work with the fashion council. Miriam Clegg has kept out of Nick’s shadow while Sarah Brown supported Gordon in his work in No 10.
The self-declared Carla Bruni of British politics however feels that she should stand up and be counted. Denis Thatcher supported Margaret through her long tenure at the top. What makes Sally any different?
Being a politician isn’t easy. They leave themselves open for attack (even from the likes of me), their personal life is splashed across the papers and every decision they take, political or otherwise, is questioned.
I understand that it is tough living this life, Sally, but surely the best course of action would be to support your husband through his difficult time as Speaker. An unpopular Tory, his appointment was a gesture by the fading Labour regime. He doesn’t need his wife to draw attention to her outrageous, attention-seeking ways as they are plastered across the press.
You are a press target, Mrs Twitter, because you bite. If you kept schtum and didn’t react after every unsavoury comment, then you would slip off their radar.
It's time to accept that, irrespective of your right to an independent voice, your actions will reflect on your husband. You must have known what your husband’s life would involve as a politician. You can’t plead ignorance now.
Comments
jack / August 24 2011 10:20am
Did I take a wrong turn and end up in the 1950s?
Nick / August 24 2011 11:16am
No one objects to Sally Bercow having political views contrary to her husband's, and I doubt anyone would complain if she were to become a Labour MP.
What the objection seems to be is that she is so embarrassing. A marriage is a partnership and not embarrassing your partner in public is the decent way to behave.
J / August 24 2011 11:25am
What a load of rubbish.
How can any of us presume to tell someone what they can and can't do? Mrs Bercow can do whatever she pleases because she is free to do it.
It's whining articles like this--the uptight establishment--that it's no wonder it took so long for women to be recognised as individual people, and not extensions of their husbands.
Grow up, Francesca.
Robert / August 24 2011 1:13pm
Tell that to Cherie
Marc Evans / August 24 2011 2:23pm
Is it me or have I come across an inordinately sexist argument? why MPs’ WAGS such as Sally Bercow must learn their place? What on earth is that supposed to mean? It is especially concerning coming from a woman. Come on it is 2011 does equality mean nothing?
Another of the Same Name.... / August 24 2011 2:45pm
When a woman marries a prominent politician she - in effect - sells her soul. She certainly sells her independence and her ability to be treated as "her own person". In return she gets to accompany her husband to the finest occasions in the land; she gets to be well-dressed, well-coiffed and well-primped and pampered. She may work for him as his secretary or PA but as payment she gets to holiday in the best places. Could be a good life - depends what you want really - to be "cherished" or to have your independence. You can't have both.
E Simkins / August 24 2011 3:33pm
I have the understanding that the author of this piece didn't mean to imply that wives should be an extension of their husbands but unfortunately that is how it came across. Instead of slagging off the people who read this and comment, Francesca, for not being able to understand your.. intellect, try questioning yourself on whether you made your point clearly enough.
You didn't.
E Simkins / August 24 2011 3:34pm
I have the understanding that the author of this piece didn't mean to imply that wives should be an extension of their husbands but unfortunately that is how it came across. Instead of slagging off the people who read this and comment, Francesca, for not being able to understand your.. intellect, try questioning yourself on whether you made your point clearly enough.
You didn't.
Connor / August 24 2011 4:56pm
She uses her husband's fame for her own ends, instead of being famous in her own right. The poor man seems too weak to tell her to get stuffed.
No one knew her until he became Speaker - if she wants exposure that much she should have done something, like get elected, herself.
Mark Allen / August 24 2011 10:43pm
Whether Sally was right or wrong to go into the house is secondary to the fact that a charity receives a much needed £100,000. I personally think that is enough of a reason for her to be in the house..
Francesca / August 25 2011 2:42pm
Thank you all for taking the time to comment and debate on my blog.
I do agree that I haven't been as clear as I had hoped - the crux of my argument is that any wife/husband of an MP (not many husband examples as not many leading women these days!) needs to be clear about the pressures of the job and the reality of life under the spotlight. It isn't fair that Sally's life is all across the tabloids but unfortunately there is no escaping the hunger for news, scandal and gossip. I work in this industry so I know this well.
As a woman carving out a career for herself, I am very supportive of women having careers so apologies to anyone who may have thought otherwise. I am quite traditional though and feel that partners should respect and support each other in all aspects of life. I think Sally is failing to do so with her behaviour often.
Mark is right to point out that the cause is a honourable one (i.e helping a charity) but the means doesn't always justify the end.
Freedom is an important right. But respect is a duty we should all adhere to!
Feel free to debate with me more on here or Twitter should you wish.
hackeryblog / August 25 2011 3:46pm
Check out Paul Prentice's response to this article over on hackeryblog
http://hackeryblog.wordpress.com/2011/08/25/in-defence-of-sally-bercow/