Michael Gove’s ex-wife says she wanted to ‘stop him becoming prime minister’

‘His only mistress was politics’, says Sarah Vine as couple divorce

Sarah Vine and former husband Michael Gove (PA)

Michael Gove’s ex-wife Sarah Vine has said she wanted to “stop” him from ever becoming prime minister.

The 54-year-old newspaper columnist – granted a divorce on Thursday – said she wanted to prevent the senior Conservative minister from winning the top job at No 10.

“My ulterior motive throughout my entire life was to stop my husband being prime minister because I can’t think of anything worse,” she told Tatler.

Ms Vine also told the magazine that Mr Gove’s “only mistress” was his political career. “The mistress wins in the end. It’s all about making sure she is happy.”

She added: “In my case, despite all the rumours, his only mistress was politics. That’s what he is in love with. He is genuinely in love with politics.”

The Daily Mail columnist also revealed that Mr Gove’s key role alongside Boris Johnson in leading the Vote Leave campaign was a key factor in their split.

“My whole life fell away,” she said on the Brexit referendum. “I didn’t speak to many close friends. And that was another huge strain on the marriage. Marriage can take strain, but it cannot take that much.”

Her comments came as a family court judge drew the marriage of the communities secretary and his wife to a close on Thursday.

Judge Lynn Roberts granted Ms Vine a divorce decree on the grounds that the marriage had irretrievably broken down. Neither Ms Vine nor Mr Gove were at the hearing at the Central Family Court in London.

A spokesperson for Mr Gove and Ms Vine announced in July 2021 that they couple were to split after almost 20 years of marriage.

The columnist also said she empathised with Mr Johnson’s wife Carrie. “I do, because no matter what she does she’ll be criticised,” she said, before adding: “Oh yes, she knows what she’s doing, she’s got an agenda. She’s very much of that generation.”