Tessa Jowell: Scandal over husband made me a 'mother hen'

Tessa Jowell: 'As a public person I'm fair game, but my family is not'
12 April 2012

Labour MP Tessa Jowell has told of her pain caused by her split from husband David Mills after he was accused of accepting a bribe from Silvio Berlusconi.

Mr Mills was sentenced to four years and six months in jail for accepting a bribe from the Italian prime minister to give false evidence on his behalf in corruption trials.

However the case was thrown out on appeal last year because of a statute of limitations technicality.

The former Olympics minister - who separated from her lawyer husband in 2006 when she admitted she did not know that he had paid off part of their mortgage with £350,000 at the centre of a bribery case involving the Italian prime minister - said her family had "endured more scrutiny than any family should be expected to bear".

The 63-year-old politician, who now sits on the Olympics Board, said the experiences had made her a "very protective mother hen".

She said: "Over the past few years, my family has endured more scrutiny than any family should be expected to bear.

"As a public person I'm fair game, but my family is not. I'm now a very protective mother hen; my sister had reporters going to her house offering her money to talk about me."

The MP for Dulwich & West Norwood, who is believed to be a key figure in the News of the World phone hacking investigation, also said it is "very important" that everyone who has been targeted co-operates fully.

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