Sally Bercow
Encyclopedia
Sally Bercow is the wife of the Speaker of the House of Commons, John Bercow
. She was a housemate on Celebrity Big Brother
and was evicted from the house on 26 August 2011.
, as a contemporary of the British Prime Minister's wife, Samantha Cameron
, and went on to attend Keble College, Oxford
, dropping out after two years. The fact that Bercow did not finish her studies at Oxford became a minor controversy in 2009 when it was revealed that she had been sacked from a City public relations firm for trying to conceal this on her CV.
She was the social secretary of the Oxford University Conservative Association
(OUCA) while at the University. It was subsequently reported in the Daily Mail
that during her time with OUCA, she was involved in a social event for which OUCA booked strippers. She met her future husband at a national Conservative Students Conference.
and one-night stand
s in her twenties.
She has three children; her eldest son is autistic. She stated that she would not send her children to a grammar school
because of her opposition to selection at the age of eleven.
. However, she changed her political allegiance during the founding days of New Labour and campaigned actively for Tony Blair
whilst campaigning for her husband (then partner) win his seat. In 2010, she stood as a Labour
candidate for the St James ward of Westminster City Council
, receiving 868 votes, 1,000 fewer than her nearest successful rival despite extremely hard campaigning. She is on the approved list of candidates for members of Parliament for the Labour Party and actively campaigned for the election of Ed Balls
as leader of the Labour Party. The Daily Telegraph has suggested that Bercow is politicising her husband's neutral role. John Bercow
has rejected this criticism stating "the obligation of impartiality does not apply to my wife who is not my chattel".
She has also appeared on Question Time
notably attacking Francis Maude
over his government's health reforms
.
's comedy-news show Have I Got News For You
.
On 3 February 2011 she attracted criticism for appearing to capitalise on her husband's position, when a photograph of her wearing only a bed sheet, with the House of Commons in the background, appeared in the London Evening Standard
free newspaper. In the article, she was quoted as saying "becoming Speaker has turned my husband into a sex symbol", although she later claimed, in a radio interview; "It was just meant to be a bit of fun, but obviously it has completely backfired on me and I look a complete idiot." The author of a biography of John and Sally Bercow, Bobby Friedman, has claimed that John "read the riot act" to her after the bed sheet photo was published.
On 18 August 2011 Bercow entered the Big Brother House as a housemate on Channel 5's Celebrity Big Brother 2011
. She claimed to have chosen this as her way of 'upsetting the establishment'. On 26 August she became the first person to be evicted.
Bercow is currently considering I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here as well as the possibility of being a TV presenter, but still wants to become a Labour
MP
.
John Bercow
John Simon Bercow is a British politician who has been the Speaker of the House of Commons in the United Kingdom since June 2009. Prior to his election to Speaker he was a member of the Conservative party....
. She was a housemate on Celebrity Big Brother
Celebrity Big Brother 2011 (UK)
Celebrity Big Brother 2011 was the eighth series of Celebrity Big Brother and the first series of Big Brother UK to air on Channel 5. It launched on 18 August 2011 at 9 pm on Channel 5. It ran for 22 days concluding on 8 September 2011 and was followed by the twelfth regular series of Big Brother...
and was evicted from the house on 26 August 2011.
Early life
Sally Illman attended the public school Marlborough CollegeMarlborough College
Marlborough College is a British co-educational independent school for day and boarding pupils, located in Marlborough, Wiltshire.Founded in 1843 for the education of the sons of Church of England clergy, the school now accepts both boys and girls of all beliefs. Currently there are just over 800...
, as a contemporary of the British Prime Minister's wife, Samantha Cameron
Samantha Cameron
Samantha Gwendoline Cameron , often known simply as "Sam Cam", is a British business executive and wife of David Cameron, the current Conservative Party leader and Prime Minister of the United Kingdom....
, and went on to attend Keble College, Oxford
Keble College, Oxford
Keble College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. Its main buildings are on Parks Road, opposite the University Museum and the University Parks. The college is bordered to the north by Keble Road, to the south by Museum Road, and to the west by Blackhall...
, dropping out after two years. The fact that Bercow did not finish her studies at Oxford became a minor controversy in 2009 when it was revealed that she had been sacked from a City public relations firm for trying to conceal this on her CV.
She was the social secretary of the Oxford University Conservative Association
Oxford University Conservative Association
The Oxford University Conservative Association, or OUCA is a student political organisation founded in 1924 whose members are drawn from the University of Oxford...
(OUCA) while at the University. It was subsequently reported in the Daily Mail
Daily Mail
The Daily Mail is a British daily middle-market tabloid newspaper owned by the Daily Mail and General Trust. First published in 1896 by Lord Northcliffe, it is the United Kingdom's second biggest-selling daily newspaper after The Sun. Its sister paper The Mail on Sunday was launched in 1982...
that during her time with OUCA, she was involved in a social event for which OUCA booked strippers. She met her future husband at a national Conservative Students Conference.
Personal life
In a 2009 interview Bercow spoke about alcoholismAlcoholism
Alcoholism is a broad term for problems with alcohol, and is generally used to mean compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages, usually to the detriment of the drinker's health, personal relationships, and social standing...
and one-night stand
One-night stand
Originally, a one-night stand was a single theatre performance, usually by a guest performer on tour, as opposed to an ongoing engagement. Today, however, the term is more commonly defined as a single sexual encounter, in which neither participant has any intention or expectation of a relationship...
s in her twenties.
She has three children; her eldest son is autistic. She stated that she would not send her children to a grammar school
Grammar school
A grammar school is one of several different types of school in the history of education in the United Kingdom and some other English-speaking countries, originally a school teaching classical languages but more recently an academically-oriented secondary school.The original purpose of mediaeval...
because of her opposition to selection at the age of eleven.
Political career
Sally Bercow addressed two Conservative Party Conferences and her husband became a Conservative MP at the 1997 General ElectionUnited Kingdom general election, 1997
The United Kingdom general election, 1997 was held on 1 May 1997, more than five years after the previous election on 9 April 1992, to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party ended its 18 years in opposition under the leadership of Tony Blair, and won the general...
. However, she changed her political allegiance during the founding days of New Labour and campaigned actively for Tony Blair
Tony Blair
Anthony Charles Lynton Blair is a former British Labour Party politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to 27 June 2007. He was the Member of Parliament for Sedgefield from 1983 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007...
whilst campaigning for her husband (then partner) win his seat. In 2010, she stood as a Labour
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
candidate for the St James ward of Westminster City Council
Westminster City Council
Westminster City Council is the local authority for the City of Westminster in Greater London, England. It is a London borough council and is entitled to be known as a city council, which is a rare distinction in the United Kingdom. The city is divided into 20 wards, each electing three councillors...
, receiving 868 votes, 1,000 fewer than her nearest successful rival despite extremely hard campaigning. She is on the approved list of candidates for members of Parliament for the Labour Party and actively campaigned for the election of Ed Balls
Ed Balls
Edward Michael Balls, known as Ed Balls, is a British Labour politician, who has been a Member of Parliament since 2005, currently for Morley and Outwood, and is the current Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer....
as leader of the Labour Party. The Daily Telegraph has suggested that Bercow is politicising her husband's neutral role. John Bercow
John Bercow
John Simon Bercow is a British politician who has been the Speaker of the House of Commons in the United Kingdom since June 2009. Prior to his election to Speaker he was a member of the Conservative party....
has rejected this criticism stating "the obligation of impartiality does not apply to my wife who is not my chattel".
She has also appeared on Question Time
Question Time
Question time in a parliament occurs when members of the parliament ask questions of government ministers , which they are obliged to answer. It usually occurs daily while parliament is sitting, though it can be cancelled in exceptional circumstances...
notably attacking Francis Maude
Francis Maude
Francis Anthony Aylmer Maude is a British politician. A member of the Conservative Party, he currently serves as the Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General, and as a Member of Parliament representing the constituency of Horsham...
over his government's health reforms
Health and Social Care Bill 2011
The Health and Social Care Bill 2011 is proposed health care reform legislation introduced in the House of Commons on 19 January 2011. If passed, the Bill would be the most extensive reorganisation of the structure of the National Health Service in England to date. It proposes to abolish NHS...
.
Media Career
On 11 November 2010 Bercow appeared as a panelist on the BBCBBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
's comedy-news show Have I Got News For You
Have I Got News for You
Have I Got News for You is a British television panel show produced by Hat Trick Productions for the BBC. It is based loosely on the BBC Radio 4 show The News Quiz, and has been broadcast since 1990, currently the BBC's longest-ever running television panel show...
.
On 3 February 2011 she attracted criticism for appearing to capitalise on her husband's position, when a photograph of her wearing only a bed sheet, with the House of Commons in the background, appeared in the London Evening Standard
Evening Standard
The Evening Standard, now styled the London Evening Standard, is a free local daily newspaper, published Monday–Friday in tabloid format in London. It is the dominant regional evening paper for London and the surrounding area, with coverage of national and international news and City of London...
free newspaper. In the article, she was quoted as saying "becoming Speaker has turned my husband into a sex symbol", although she later claimed, in a radio interview; "It was just meant to be a bit of fun, but obviously it has completely backfired on me and I look a complete idiot." The author of a biography of John and Sally Bercow, Bobby Friedman, has claimed that John "read the riot act" to her after the bed sheet photo was published.
On 18 August 2011 Bercow entered the Big Brother House as a housemate on Channel 5's Celebrity Big Brother 2011
Celebrity Big Brother 2011 (UK)
Celebrity Big Brother 2011 was the eighth series of Celebrity Big Brother and the first series of Big Brother UK to air on Channel 5. It launched on 18 August 2011 at 9 pm on Channel 5. It ran for 22 days concluding on 8 September 2011 and was followed by the twelfth regular series of Big Brother...
. She claimed to have chosen this as her way of 'upsetting the establishment'. On 26 August she became the first person to be evicted.
Bercow is currently considering I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here as well as the possibility of being a TV presenter, but still wants to become a Labour
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
MP
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
.