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The wife of Commons speaker John Bercow today revealed she had been a "binge drinker" who had a series of one-night stands in her twenties.
Sally Bercow also announced hopes to run as a Labour candidate in the general election and lambasted Tory leader David Cameron as a "merchant of spin".
In her first interview, she told the Standard she often drunk two bottles of wine a day and was an "argumentative, stroppy drunk". She admitted to being a "ladette" and said: "I had no stop button."
Mrs Bercow confessed to casual sexual encounters fuelled by alcohol. "Someone would send a drink over and I'd think, why not, and we'd go home together."
Mrs Bercow, 40, who has been teetotal for several years, said she wanted to expose all her "skeletons" before standing for election. She plans to run for Westminster council in next year's borough elections.
Exclusive: Click here to read the full interview
Her husband, elected as the Tory MP for Buckingham, was criticised for spending £45,000 refurbishing the Speaker's apartment, but Mrs Bercow said one of their children is autistic and was "disturbed by the heavy red décor".
She attacked Mr Cameron as "an archetypal Tory". She said. "He favours the interests of the few over the mainstream majority. I do think the Tory party is for the privileged few and what it stands for isn't in the interests of most ordinary people."
Reader views (46)
I was quite appalled and shocked by the bigotry and hypocrisy of these commentaries.
I respect this brave woman. She is honest and open, and I liked her interview. She is a personality.
It is a pity the article does not say much of her program, focused on her life and Tory criticism, but it is of course not Sally Bercow's fault.
- Victor, Russia, 04/12/2009 04:32
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Nu Labor shows it ugly face for the last time, I hope.
- Georgie, Islington, London, 03/12/2009 20:38
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David Cameron is a 'merchant of spin'? Completely different, of course, from that lovely man Mr Tony Blair, who could in no way be considered a 'merchant of spin'. No, not at all.
- Simon Maxwell, London, UK, 03/12/2009 19:24
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To James Robertson.
You quote me out of context,Sir. I understand perfectly the problems of autism. My complaint related to the spending of £45,000 of public money on changing the decor.
- Alan Reece, Hythe, Kent, 03/12/2009 18:20
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kate, sarah, jilly & Vicky...
presume you're all white than white when it comes to your own morality?
even worse, maybe you're all so dull that you are. if you resented wasting your twenties with the top button done up, no need to be passing judgement on others.
I wouldn't vote for her, but I hardly see the need to be so pious about her confessions.
- Scotty, London, 03/12/2009 18:14
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I think you are all jealous because she's a bit of alright. Now where do I send the drink?
- Onlydo Speakerswives, rural, 03/12/2009 17:55
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Well, this may explain her husband's bizarre trajectory from the Tory right, but how can he be relied on as a neutral speaker in the unlikely event that she is elected?
I do hope that UKIP can field a good candidate in Buckingham.
- David L, London, 03/12/2009 17:30
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Of her and her cheating husband, UGH. They are not the people we need to look after our interests, all they will do is serve themselves to as much expense as possible and in return give nothing but deceit.
- Hugh, Middx, 03/12/2009 17:19
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I think this woman is wonderful, and it's great to see all the sex-starved corblimey, little, inconsequential people having a go at her!
- David Short, Tunis, Tunisia, 03/12/2009 17:01
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Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooh Noooooooooooooo, Mrs Consort Speaker Ma'am. And what will the Saviour of the World and Son of the Manse think of your sincere confessions?
- Cassie, London, 03/12/2009 16:51
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Speaker Bercow cannot possibly remain after this performance from Alice.Quite apart from the fact she is being housed in The Houses of Parliament at the taxpayers expense her extreme political views totally rule out her husband as an impartial judge.
- Chris Newby, London,England, 03/12/2009 16:48
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This slapper is a typical Labour hypocrite. Private schooled herself, but wants to deny ordinary kids the chance to go to grammar school. Meanwhile, she spends tens of thousands of taxpayer money on her fancy house.
- Kate, Harrow, London, UK, 03/12/2009 16:29
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Well if I lived in Buckingham I would be first in line to vote UKIP.What a self serving labour PPC I see they don't change.
- Margot Parker, Weldon UK, 03/12/2009 16:09
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Why do people like her feel the neccessity to shout their private life from the roof tops for all to read about? Are they after publicity or are they pre-empting what may appear in the papers next week? Whatever her reasons, she's pretty shameless and should not be in public office.
- Tom W, London, 03/12/2009 16:07
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This woman is such a self-publicist... and she has just spent thousands of taxpayers' money on new furnishings for her husband's grace and favour apartment. She is a monster
- Chris Bond, London, 03/12/2009 15:38
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SAhe is a society girl.Top schools, smart middle class background, cocktail set and more. How sweet tht this child should be humbling herself to become a labour MP. No doubt she will be moving into social housing on a walhamstow estate to become one of the 'few'
- Mark Armstrong, london. uk, 03/12/2009 15:36
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I behave as shamefully as any chav, vote for me !
Mind you, Cameron's first tentative policy ideas were legalising Class A drugs so it's clear her generation is not shy.
And given the Cameron's family history with drugs ..
- Madmax, London, UK, 03/12/2009 15:16
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You can just hear Malcolm Tucker banging his head against the wall in some far flung office.
- Adam, earlswood, 03/12/2009 15:04
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Vicky Pollard-Bercow MP!! A series of disasters and failures of character are paraded in one big ego vanity trip of stupidity - look at me... 'One Drink Sally'! She is a sad and needy person using a newspaper to spin a bid to be a Labour MP. In true Labour style she says nothing of her ualities and contributions she has. Clearly they are all negative, but only spins some smears about 'the Conservatives being spinners'. Beyond parody. She proves she is a 'Bercow', pronounced slowly. The UK must be really pathetic that Labour has reduced Parliament to people as sad and desperate as this. This shambles is the Speaker's wife! Bercow must be thrown out by the Buckingham voters who should vote for the UKIP candidate. Then she can brag on about herself without damaging others.
- Frankie, hackney uk, 03/12/2009 14:50
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dave you have had a very lucky break it appears if one Bercow is too much what would TWO be like.
- John Green, Nottingham, 03/12/2009 14:50
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Revolting woman! Being a stroppy drunk who drops her knickers for anyone who buys her a drink is one thing, but to praise Harriet Harman - now that is going beyond the pale! Yuk!
- Sarah Bradshaw, Enfield, Middx, 03/12/2009 14:15
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sounds like the modern pre-requisite for a job in politics.
Do we need her ?
- Jon, lon/eng, 03/12/2009 14:08
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Quite simply she gets it! Well done her!!
- Bill Cox, london, 03/12/2009 13:54
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In agreement with most things said by others - but please Alan Reece, do some research on autism; I can assure you that it is not as simple as 'not liking red'.
- James Robertson, Sandy, Beds, 03/12/2009 13:42
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I think she is very brave to be so honest. Amazing really considering her husband is the Speaker. Hopefully this story will inspire other binge drinkers to give up too.....
- Helena L, Marylebone, 03/12/2009 13:41
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I forget "DONKEY"
- Fred, London, 03/12/2009 13:34
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"binge drinker" who had a series of one-night stands in her twenties. Nice to see our future political leaders continue along the same paths as the old. But she/and her man say's "I do think the Tory party is for the privileged few and what it stands for isn't in the interests of most ordinary people." Right there are a lot of ordinary people who can spend 45K of tax payers money, because of the colour RED that's the Labour colour. If her children have problems, why can't she stay at home and look after them? or does she need the money.
- Fred, London, 03/12/2009 13:31
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She said. "He favours the interests of the few over the mainstream majority.
Oh the irony LOL
- P Staker, London., 03/12/2009 13:24
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What's with these people???
As soon as their lies are uncovered, out come the sob stories. It has happened again and again with other publicity prone people in the past few years and it is not only deceptive, but boring.
- Bingham Macnamara, lymington, hampshire, 03/12/2009 13:21
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I feel a bit violated by the detail.... please keep it private! If you've done stupid things in the past they either shed light on your charachter or not depending on how bad they were. "Confessing" indiscretions Jerry Springer-style doesn't change anything. Its all a bit self-indulgent...
- Matthew, London, UK, 03/12/2009 13:19
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Supid woman !
- Norman, Eastcote 'What a ghastly woman! Only right she wants to stand as an MP' - you omit 'labour' .. to stand as a labour MP...
- Rr, London, 03/12/2009 13:08
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Going into politics is the right job for a slapper but what will she do when her old man is voted out at the next election? Follow him into whatever job he does next? She seems insecure,unstable, needy and greedy. Yep, politics is definitely the right route.
- Jilly, London, 03/12/2009 12:58
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What a ghastly woman! Only right she wants to stand as an MP
- Norman, Eastcote, 03/12/2009 12:39
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In other words she can't remember who she may have offended and she might as well prepare everyone for the odd story in the tabloids now she's running as a Labour candidate on a highly hypocritical-sounding ticket.
- Roz, France, 03/12/2009 12:32
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Had a few and thought your husband was a bit taller?
- Alex C, London, 03/12/2009 11:53
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What a sad loser! A complete hypocrite. Top education, huge chip on her shoulder, now smears the well educated! Sex with anyone who sent her a drink is not stable. Any morals, she needs therapy. No values at all, unaware spending vast sums of taxpayers money on her decorations may be unwise. Out of control, sex, drink, spending money like water. She has no normal good life achievements that people work for. She is just one big egotrip, drink, sex, massive expenses and vote me. She identifies with Labour and wants to be a Labour MP!! As an insider she should know what Labour MP's are like, and this is it..! Freakshow, Vicky Pollard-Bercow MP.
- Vicky, bethnal green, 03/12/2009 11:53
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Did she mention her dubious CVs?
- St, London, 03/12/2009 11:38
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Binge-drinking and lots of sex: sounds like ideal morals for a Labour MP.
She is obviously getting her retaliation in early before it gets dragged through the red tops.
- Nobby Clark, Perth, the Scottish one, 03/12/2009 11:37
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We've all done that, and more. Her one night standers were lucky chaps.
- David Short, Tunis, Tunisia, 03/12/2009 11:02
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A brainless babe,she should go far in the soon to be defunct Labour party.
- Jacob, Bent Kent Region1648A EUSSR., 03/12/2009 10:40
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This Speaker saga is rolling on and on. Carla Bruni. What we are seeing is 'Thatchers children' coming onto the scene. More will emerge, and questions about did they or didn't they inhale/smoke /binge drink/etc will have to be asked. And truthful answers will have to be provided, not that it will make te slightest difference to their selection.
- Dhan Raj, Basildon, 03/12/2009 10:31
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I'm not really sure that Mrs Bercow quite understands the concept of "Privilege". In my opinion,spending £45,000 to change the decor of one's "grace and favour" apartment because your autistic child doesn't like red, using public monies, certainly suggests to me that she is of the same "privileged few", as she puts it, as David Cameron supposedly belongs to.
- Alan Reece, Hythe, Kent, 03/12/2009 10:31
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Why is this story given the oxygen of publicity by London's Premier newspaper !! This self serving woman is a publicity seeking failure married to a person despised by even his own party. This of course does not prevent him spending/wasting another £45000 of our money on maintaining a superior life style. We are not interested in your previous life my dear so keep your gob shut and preserve some sort of decorum.
- Nick Holland, glasgow, 03/12/2009 10:30
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Wine? One night stands? Disgraceful!!.....................................Yawn!
- Archie Ponsonby, Thrapston, England, 03/12/2009 10:20
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Does anyone care about this womans past? Not me she seems
like another dull wannabe MP.
- Fred, Hammersmith, 03/12/2009 10:10
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Yawn.
- Paul Smith, Harpenden, 03/12/2009 09:59
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