On the election campaign with the leaders’ wives

They say the candidate with the most popular wife during an election campaign, usually wins.

So little wonder the three wives of Messrs Brown, Cameron and Clegg look to be vital for their hopes of securing the keys to number ten.

David Cameron’s claimed his wife is his “secret weapon” in this election. Her pregnancy no doubt, giving the press a little more to talk about, thus keeping her and her husband on the front pages.

Today Samantha Cameron (Sam Cam) went solo on the campaign trail, helping out at a gardening project for vulnerable people in Leeds. The Tory leader insists his wife is capable of standing on her own two feet.

She said: “I hope to highlight the amazing work that charities like this do for some of the most vulnerable people in society that tend to kind of fall through the net.”

Sarah Brown, with her husband today, also visited a gardening charity.

She has a following of over a million Tweeters on Twitter. No doubt this will be a key election tool for Mr Brown. He was asked about his wife in an early press conference.

His response: “She’s the love of my life. We work well together. We like going round the country together and I’m looking forward to the campaign.”

Nick Clegg’s wife Miriam, a high-powered lawyer, is not interested in being a political wife. She says like most women she cannot abandon her job for five weeks.

Political wives have played a role in elections for decades. But while today’s spouses are not giving interviews on the campaign trail, Violet Attlee outspokenly corrected her husband on a matter of policy in 1955.

Sandra Howard campaigned five years ago with her husband Michael, the former Tory leader. Asked why political wives are often seen, but rarely heard, she said: “Well, I think they are heard behind the scenes.

“You can have your policy arguments and discussions, I think, in private. I think, not out front. I think that would be very confusing and very difficult for the people that are trying to organise the campaign.”

In the days of 24 hour rolling news, the three wives will no doubt remain in the spotlight right up to 6 May.