Sasha Swire is the daughter and the wife of MPs. Both, on retirement, were knighted for outstanding political service. Her diaries cover the leaderships of David Cameron and Theresa May, Brexit and the rise of Boris Johnson. Many political memoirs are enlightening but rather dull. Sasha Swire’s diaries are dynamite.
She found it hurtful that as a ‘wife of’ status, her views were ignored and her presence overlooked. Not any more, Diary of an MP’s Wife has been chosen political book of the year by numerous newspapers.
Swire observed the great and not-so-great at close quarters: the friendships, fall-outs, scandals and rivalries. She wrote it all down, naming names. Some considered the publication of the diaries a betrayal of friendship. One MP was getting married. He invited Sir Hugh to the wedding but didn’t include Hugh’s wife on the invitation. A mistake? It wasn’t.
This memoir is searingly candid, wildly indiscreet, humorous and occasionally laugh-out-loud hilarious. Swire is an acute observer, acerbic with strongly-held opinions. She would’ve made an excellent independent member of parliament.
Swire realised this book would be controversial and be considered a vitriolic document of revenge. The dedication was ‘To Hugh Sorry!’ and her final sentence: I am now going to ground for the foreseeable future.
Reviewed by Clive Hodges
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