Michael Gove expresses pain over attacks on ex-wife Sarah Vine

In 2016, Michael Gove, a former Tory minister and Member of Parliament in the UK, encountered one of the most painful moments of his career due to the public fallout from a leaked email written by his ex-wife, Sarah Vine. This incident arose when Vine, originally a Daily Mail columnist, accidentally sent a private email to broader media channels, where it eventually caught the attention of outlets like the Guardian. The email included advice to Gove regarding his political maneuvering during the Conservative leadership contest, a highly sensitive political environment at the time. The content of the email advised Gove to seek a specific commitment from Boris Johnson before expressing his support, emphasizing the need for political leverage to secure a cabinet position. This situation escalated further when Gove unexpectedly declared his candidacy for leadership, which led to Johnson withdrawing from the race shortly thereafter, creating an intricate web of political intrigue and personal stakes. Gove’s reflections on this experience reveal the deeper emotional scars associated with political life, particularly when one's family is inadvertently pulled into the public narrative. He expressed how personal attacks against his wife felt particularly unjust and damaging, framing Vine as collateral damage in the political crossfire. The repercussions of this leak and the subsequent media scrutiny defined Gove's political narrative in that period, highlighting the intense pressures faced by politicians and their families within the volatile landscape of British politics.