Does Tessa Jowell need relationship counselling?

[Caligula]

Because if she came onto Mumsnet saying that her DH gets gifts of over £300,000 and doesn't mention it to her, I think the general consensus would either be that a man who keeps a secret like that is up to no good, or she is a troll trying to stir us all up.

\link{http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4769088.stm\tessa jowell enormous sum of money hubby forgot to mention story}

[VeniVidiVickiQV]

Oh yes, email her and suggest relate

Reminiscent of another huge money issue thread a while ago...........

[peacedove]

maybe this is small change for her!

[Pruni]

I did wonder if they had a really really crappy non-relationship when I saw this on the news...or if she's just trying to pull a fast one.

[monkeytrousers]

I hope she isn't forced out, bad relationship or not. Mind you, anything to do with Berlusconi always gets my antenna twitching. This could be Silvio trying to settle his casa nostra accounts..lets hope her hubby don't end up sleeping with the fishes..

[TwoIfBySea]

But didn't Tony Blair go on holiday at Berlusconi's villa in Italy?

Hmmm, no one seems to be mentioning that. And Cherie is the type for a freebie or money going.

I wonder at the stupidity of a woman who expects people to believe she would sign for a mortgage without finding out details. Why take out the mortgage if he knew that he would get that amount of money only a few weeks later?

She has the look of a deer in the headlights at the moment but this is typical New Labour. I never thought they could make the Tories look decent! Then again being Scottish, where they have had a stranglehold for too long it shouldn't have come as a surprise. They're all for getting backhanders and the such.

[monkeytrousers]

It's just been announced that they are seperating so you are right on the ball Cali!

I got the wrong end of the stick too, apparenty he took a bribe from Berlusconi not to give evidence. My fault for not concentrating!

[Caligula]

!!!!!!

OMG. That looks like she was telling the truth then, and that he was just getting up to all sorts of financial shenanigans behind her back.

Poor woman. Now I feel sorry for her.

[monkeytrousers]

Yes, me too. It's such a horrible buisness.

[RedZuleika]

Pretty horrible to be thought publicly to be... economical with the truth. Then to find that you have actually been a bit of a patsy.

[Tinker]

Oh, feel a bit sorry for her now. I did wonder how on earth a supposedly Labour politician (and am assuming pretty leftie in her youth) was attracted to a man who sets up tax avoidance scams all over the place.

[tissy]

\link{http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4773468.stm\look!} she and he have split!

[tissy]

bah! too late, mt beast me to it!

[Caligula]

It's bad enough when your partner is lying about money - the feelings of impotence and fury are horrible - but when as a direct result he threatens your career and makes you look in public like a fool or a knave, it must make you feel murderous. In her situation, I'd be tempted to wish Silvio's dodgy mates would deal with him.

[cranberryheights]

Actually, I thought the opposite when I heard they had split. TJ so annoyed that career has been endangered that she gets rid of hubby. Looked pretty cold-blooded to me. If long-standing problems, why not have separated earlier. If so upset at lack of openness that can't go on, would surely have waited a bit longer and done some talking privately(look at the wife of that Libdem guy). But quick ditching in attempt to save career - not attractive.

[paolosgirl]

I must be very cynical, but I think either she found out what he really was up to (and she must be really stupid not to see through it), and decided to bail out and save her political skin; or TB and Senior Civil Service bods put gentle pressure on her; or they both knew their marriage was on the rocks, and were in the process of putting as much money in the pot as possible, but got caught.

[fairyjay]

Or give it a few months to blow over, and will they announce they're giving it another go, 'for the sake of their son'.

[RedZuleika]

I did think the same as Fairyjay - but figured that was just too too cynical and I should try to be a nicer, more trusting person.

[monkeytrousers]

I'm not sure I'd do the bloody same! She's made a huge amount of sacrifices for her career. Just last week on radio 4 the presenter of woman's hour (I think) in an interview to do with work life balance asked her if at the end of the day if we wanted to smash through the glass ceiling wowuldn't women just have to do what she did - work incredibly long hours during the week and see your children at weekends. If I'd made that deal with my husband, and then had all that effort and sacrifice compromised due to his greed and idiocy then I'd pretty much leave him too.

I don't think it's cold blooded - just realistic.

[PrincessPeaHead]

must be a shock to find out your husband is a serial moneylaunderer.

and you must feel pretty stupid when you find out that you've been colluding in it unwittingly (giving her the benefit of the doubt here...)

[fairyjay]

I was told I would get cynical as I got older - I think you've just confirmed that RZ!!!