Should our political wives look for inspiration nearer home, there are some outstanding historical examples. Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire, turned herself into a racy political hostess, befriending and perhaps bedding Charles James Fox, the great Whig parliamentarian. Georgiana became his campaign manager at the general elections of the 1780s, even canvassing in the streets. She often wore blue and gold, the Whig colours, and fox fur in honour of Fox, her "favourite member".

Jennie Churchill, mother of Winston, greatly helped her husband Lord Randolph's early career, as well as that of her son later, canvassing and knocking on doors. She thought nothing of flaunting her perfect figure in the latest fashions to charm society on behalf of her menfolk. A hundred-odd years before Samantha C got her discreet ankle tattoo of a dolphin, Jennie C is said to have had a snake tattooed on her wrist.

Poor Jennie was to die of an infection in 1921 after a fall downstairs wearing the latest hazardous Italian high heels. We do not ask our political wives to go that far in experimenting with fashion — just to show a little more pizzazz.