Working together.

Watching the American version of House of Cards and seeing Claire Underwood, First Lady, wife of President Frank (she calls him Francis always) agonise over her own career success, or lack of, has made me thoughtful. In this third series, she is briefly a UN ambassador, a position she obtained through her husband's pulling strings. (It's an extreme example of what the Spanish call "enchufe", getting on because of a connection with an important person.) She is later very resentful of the fact that she was unable to get enough support under her own steam to gain the position without needing his direct intervention. She didn't seem to take into account that even if she had been selected without his string-pulling it still might not have been a total "honest" selection. Some would have voted for her just because she was the First Lady. 

And besides, I went on to reflect, what were her credentials? She had run a non-profit making charitable organisation in an earlier series but that would seem to be more an example of her organisational skills than of her diplomacy. Did she have qualifications in legal or political studies? It's all very unclear. She appeared to work hard at the job but wasn't terribly successful, sometimes causing more havoc than anything else. 

Which brings me to my main grouse: why do politicians' spouses nowadays have to take such an active part in the life of those politicians? After all they are not elected into office. And yet spouses, especially wives, are regularly to be seen standing next to the politicians as they make important announcements. I'm sure Samantha Cameron has lots of good qualities (well, I suppose she must have some) but she isn't an elected politician. Neither are their children, who are very occasionally touted around as accessories, proof of the politician's humanity, I imagine. 

On the other hand, I have a sneaking admiration for Miriam González Durántez, wife of Liberal Democrat Nick Clegg. She is a busy lady in her own right, partner of an international legal practice, and determined keeping herself and her children separate from her husband's political life. She was interviewed at length in one of the weekend papers and came across as shining example of a hardworking, successful career woman, juggling professional and family life with the inevitable occasions when she does have to be "wife of important man". Good for her! 

Enough of that! Today we have been checking out museums with a view to spending a day in Manchester next week with a bunch of Spaniards. Old planes in the Air and Space Hall of the Museum of Science and Industry? 

Or T-Rex in the Manchester Museum? 

Or both? 

We can work together, or so it seems.