Michael Howard is paying the highest compliment to his wife Sandra by letting her campaign on her own during the coming general election.

The Guardian says Downing Street wives - and Denis Thatcher - are often described as their spouses' "secret weapon" in tabloid headlines. And the Telegraph headline says Mrs Howard could be the Tories' "greatest election asset".

However, according to the Guardian, such hopes are rarely fulfilled as most wives don't actually like the job - particularly the campaigning.