John Bercow on sleeping arrangements in the Speaker’s House

To describe John Bercow and his wife Sally’s marriage as colourful, could be seen to be an understatement. The Speaker’s wife has regularly made the news, just last year hitting the headlines after she temporarily left her husband to be with his cousin.

So, Mr S was intrigued to learn that Bercow offered guests at the launch of Margaret Hodge’s latest book It’s Impossible a rundown of his sleeping arrangement. Held at the Speaker’s House, Bercow used his speech to give a history of the property — and the beds.

He explained that, despite efforts by the ‘downmarket’ media to conflate the state rooms with the private upstairs, his family lived in the ‘somewhat less palatial rooms above’:

‘So, although in the 19th century, it was commonplace to use these rooms for the purpose of living accommodation, actually the Speaker these days lives upstairs.

I would sleep in the ceremonial bed downstairs only in the unfortunate event of being kicked out by my wife — which hasn’t happened yet.