An analysis of Sarah Vine's forthcoming memoir, "How Not to Be a Political Wife," which attributes the breakdown of her marriage to Michael Gove to the stresses of Brexit and political maneuvering. The article explores how "big-P politics" can intrude on personal relationships, using the Gove-Vine divorce as a high-profile example, but also suggests that underlying domestic issues often play a role.
Politics can destroy relationships – just ask Sarah Vine and Michael Gove
Michael GovePoliticsBrexitRelationshipsUKBooks
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An analysis of Sarah Vine's forthcoming memoir, "How Not to Be a Political Wife," which attributes the breakdown of her marriage to Michael Gove to the stresses of Brexit and political maneuvering. The article explores how "big-P politics" can intrude on personal relationships, using the Gove-Vine divorce as a high-profile example, but also suggests that underlying domestic issues often play a role.
Trending- 1 Trump-Brexit era: Period when politics intruded on personal relationships.
- 2 Brexit: Key political moment cited by Vine as ruining her marriage.
- 3 This week (June 3-9, 2025): Excerpt from Sarah Vine's memoir published in Daily Mail.
- 4 June 5, 2025: Article published.
- Marital breakdown
- Strained friendships
- Political polarization infecting personal lives
- Increased stress
- Public scrutiny of private lives
What: Sarah Vine's memoir, "How Not to Be a Political Wife," claims Brexit and political maneuvering (specifically Andrea Leadsom's actions) ruined her marriage to Michael Gove. The article discusses how politics can destroy relationships, using this high-profile divorce as an example, and suggests that underlying domestic issues (like division of labor) can be masked by political conflict.
When: Published June 5, 2025. Mentions "this week" (excerpt from memoir), "Trump-Brexit era".
Where: United Kingdom (implied for Gove, Vine, Brexit), Maine (USA, for Elizabeth Strout's novel), New York (USA, for friend's social group).
Why: Vine attributes her marriage breakdown to the stress and division caused by Michael Gove's backing of Brexit and subsequent political events. The article suggests that while politics can be a trigger, it often serves as a proxy for deeper, more quotidian relationship issues.
How: The article analyzes excerpts from Sarah Vine's memoir, discussing her perspective on how Brexit impacted her marriage. It broadens the discussion to how political issues like Trump, Brexit, Israel/Palestine, and gender can cause rifts in friendships and relationships, sometimes ennobling pre-existing personal conflicts.