Martha Gill: If one good thing comes of this UK election campaign, it is the end of the trophy first lady

UK prime minister Rishi Sunak and his wife Akshata Murty arrive to cast their votes in Northallerton, North Yorkshire. Photo: PA

Martha Gill
© Evening Standard

I must admit this election campaign itself has been rather unhealthy. Nonsense has been spouted. Policy has been under-discussed. Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey has felt obliged to court attention by jumping off things and into things and up and down on things.

There is one habit, though, that seems to have at last been put to bed. The Wheeling Out of the Wives – the compulsory role of the party leader’s spouse throughout the campaign – is, I think, over. This election marks its end. When, as we expect, Victoria Starmer accompanies her husband into No 10 Downing Street, many people will not have seen her before.