They dealt with these issues with less difficulty back in Victorian England. Lord Palmerston, Prime Minister at the time, was cited as co-respondent in a divorce case at the age of 79.

His rival, Disraeli, said it was a great pity it came to light, because it would mean he would be likely to sweep the country at the next election. True enough, Palmerston's party did win the elction, with an increased majority.

More recently, when it turned out that Paddy Ashdown, the Liberal party leadwer, had had an affair, his popularity, as measured by opinion polls, promptly shot up. (Though he did get saddled with the enduring nickname "Paddy Pantsdown".)