Brown counts on the Sarah Effect

According to today’s Daily Record, Sarah Brown is set to “spearhead” the Labour campaign in Glenrothes.  It’s hardly suprising news – talk of her involvement has been doing the Westminster rounds since her much-vaunted cameo at last month’s Labour party conference.  But it shouldn’t be forgotten that this is far from normal practice.  As the Record points out, “It’s believed Sarah will be the first Prime Minister’s wife to actively campaign during a by-election”; raising all kinds of questions about how involved PM’s partners should be in the political process.  Whether they’ll undermine the “Sarah Effect” remains to be seen.