The silencing of Big Ben’s bongs could take its toll on the love life on the House of Commons speaker.
As the chimes at the London landmark go mute for the next four years, friends are fearing for John Bercow after his wife, Sally, 47, revealed that living next door to the clock is ‘incredibly sexy’.
Some feel that the lack of bongs will become a passion killer for the couple.
In 2011, Mrs Bercow raised eyebrows at Westminster when she posed for a racy photoshoot, with just a bedsheet wrapped around her, for a picture with Parliament in the background
As the chimes at the London landmark go mute for the next four years, friends are fearing for John Bercow after his wife, Sally, 47, revealed that living next door to the clock is ‘incredibly sexy’
One told The Sun: ‘Poor John may live to regret this controversial decision if it means it’s not just the bongs that are turned off.’
In 2011, Mrs Bercow raised eyebrows at Westminster when she posed for a racy photoshoot, with just a bedsheet wrapped around her, for a picture with Parliament in the background.
She said at the time: ‘I never realised how sexy I would find living under Big Ben with the bells chiming.’
However, Commons authorities have refused to commit to suspending repair works so the bell can mark the departure.
Mrs Bercow is not one for shying away from talking about her sex life and vices.
In 2009, she claimed that she and her husband had become unlikely sex symbols since his election to the post of Speaker.
John Bercow and his wife Sally enjoying the tennis in the Royal Box at Wimbledon last month
Then, making the grand and rather unlikely claim that she was seen as the ‘Carla Bruni of British politics’, Mrs Bercow extolled the virtues of politics as an aphrodisiac.
That same year, the former PR girl talked of one-night stands when she was single and revealed her binge-drinking habits. She has also admitted smoking cannabis at Marlborough College.
Big Ben will sounds its bongs for the last time for four years on Monday at noon, while the iconic tower is renovated.
Setting out the timetable for Brexit earlier this year, Downing Street said the country would leave ‘when Big Ben bongs midnight’ on the date.
Big Ben will sounds its bongs for the last time for four years on Monday at noon, while the iconic tower is renovated
Last week Tory MPs said it would be disappointing if Britain left the EU with ‘a wimper’. Jacob Rees-Mogg said: ‘Big Ben ought to be kept striking as much as possible during the repairs, as long as it doesn’t deafen the work force.
‘It would be symbolically uplifting for it to sound out our departure from the EU as a literally ringing endorsement of democracy.’
Peter Bone said: ‘We are being liberated from the European Union superstate and Britain will again be a completely self-governing country. Where will the eyes of the world be? On Parliament and Big Ben.’
Andrew Bridgen added: ‘We need to go out with a boom as we regain a sovereign parliament once again.’
A Commons spokesman said: ‘We cannot yet give a confirmed date for when chiming will resume, however the intent is to maintain striking for important events, such as Remembrance Sunday and New Year’s Eve.’