Harman invites Sally Bercow to election launch
Friday, 22 January 2010 12:00 AM
By politics.co.uk staff
Labour appears to have spotted the political talents of Sally Bercow, with Harriet Harman inviting the Speaker's wife to a general election launch.
The wife of John Bercow has been at the centre of controversy in recent weeks as political pundits debate whether her political ambitions puts the Speaker's impartiality at risk.
Ms Harman, the deputy Labour leader, invited the Labour candidate to a launch party on Twitter this afternoon.
"Welcome to Twitter. Come to our gen elec launch party in Camberwell and Peckham. Peter Mandleson is celeb guest -we hope!" Ms Harman wrote.
Ms Bercow replied: "Thank U. Wld love to come. PLEASE Hansard don't hold an event that night (would HAVE to prioritise Hansard you see Harriet)"
Mrs Bercow is credited with influencing her husband's politics, such that the former dyed-in-wool right-winger became a centrist.
As Speaker he is now bound to political impartiality, but critics have suggested his wife's ambitions might unduly influence him.
Despite being a Tory, Mr Bercow did not enjoy wide support from the party in his bid to be Speaker, with many MPs suspicious of his drift to the left.
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