By Aled Thomas

Sally Bercow, wife of Commons’ speaker John Bercow, has failed in her attempt to become a councillor in London.

Ms Bercow, who faced some criticism for being a Labour activist married to a Conservative MP, was standing for Labour in the St James ward of Westminster City Council.

She polled 868 votes, about 1,000 less than all three winning Conservative candidates in the ward.

On her Twitter feed Ms Bercow said she was “not surprised” to have lost but was “delighted to have stood.”

She also suggested she would continue as an activist, tweeting: “I will keep buggering on. Had a ball campaigning.”

Better news in the Bercow household came for husband John, who easily held on to his Buckingham seat, and hence his position as Speaker.

Although he was unopposed by the main parties, he faced a challenge from former Ukip leader Nigel Farage, who suffered serious but not life-threatening injuries when he was in a plane crash on polling day.