HARDLY a day passes without mention of Ivor Caplin, Hove's busy MP, which got me wondering what it's like to be married to a politician who seems to have found the secret of perpetual motion.

Maureen Caplin didn't hesitate for a second. "Life's good," she said, "I'm about to have another baby!"

That shook me. I was fishing for a sad tale of an MP's wife languishing at home, and here was this elegant blonde with a career of her own talking about the joys of motherhood at the age of 39.

"Put it down to the will of God," says Maureen with a grin. "We've certainly waited long enough." Son Daniel is 20 and daughter Jodie is 11.

Maureen has her own hairdressing salon but few clients know she's married to Ivor.

"I'm an ordinary girl from a working class family of six," she says. "I met Ivor in a pub. He was an insurance clerk and I was working as a hairdresser. We've grown up together.

"My family weren't into politics. I must have been the only person in Hove who didn't think Ivor would win the seat two years ago."

Avoiding the limelight, Maureen concentrates on her family and the salon in Hove's Montefiore Road, which she bought before Ivor became an MP.

"I was determined not to be a stay-at-home wife twiddling my thumbs. The loveliest thing is when people don't know I'm the local MP's wife. It proves I have a life of my own."

Nowadays Maureen has to combine the roles of MP's wife, busy mother and businesswoman and she copes alone much of the time.

Ivor has recently taken a flat in London because of his commitments at Westminster.

"He's devoted to us and his family come first and foremost, but he is dedicated to his job and naturally wants to give his best to it."

How does Maureen feel about him climbing to the top of the political ladder, as many pundits predict? Does she fancy being one of Westminster's leading ladies?

"I'd be glad for Ivor," she says, "he's worked hard and deserves it but I'm not sure about the consequences for the family.

"We certainly wouldn't leave this area and move to London. Westminster isn't very family-friendly."

PUTTING A FULL STOP TO ABUSE OF CHILDREN

WWELL, I kept the NSPCC's secret in last week's column - at the command of Prince Andrew - and now Cilla Black has revealed all.

We are asking the public for £250 million to stamp out child abuse.

The Society's Full Stop Campaign, backed by the Duke of York and PM Tony Blair, is exactly what it says.

The aim is to consign all child cruelty to the dustbin of history within 20 years.

This is an ambitious project when you consider at least one child dies every week through neglect or abuse, one in fourrape victims is a child and the NSPCC Helpline - 0800 800 500 - receives 80,000 calls a year.

Over the next three weeks you will be seeing harrowing television commercials on child abuse coupled with appeals by the likes of the Spice Girls, Alan Shearer, Action Man and Rupert Bear.

As a member of the NSPCC Council, I'm fully behind the biggest charity appeal of all time.

I'm sure the public will respond magnificently.

There can be no better cause. Full stop.

NEW-FOUND ATTRACTION TO FOOTBALL

SUDDENLY Her Ladyship has developed a love of football. There was Ellen alongside me on Sunday cheering Spurs to victory over Leicester in the Worthington Cup (though I thought the other lot deserved to win). Why this change of heart? Then I spotted the answer. Standing there, beatific look on his Gallic features, adored by tens of thousands. Who else but that French onion David Ginola. MY GOOD FRIEND MR PURDEW

WHO is Stephen Purdew? Albion's general manager, Nick Rowe, wasn't the only one asking the question last week with news that the mysterious Mr Purdew wanted to buy control of the Seagulls.

Well, I can give the answer. I've known the millionaire businessman for years and can tell you he's a Sussex lad made good who's been supporting Brighton and Hove Albion since he was a schoolboy in short pants.

The son of an eminent architect, he was born in Petworth 39 years ago and went to school at Midhurst.

Stephen's interest in buying into Albion comes from his friendship with former captain Steve Foster, a frequent visitor at Henlow Grange Health Farm in Bedfordshire when he was playing for Luton.

Henlow Grange was Stephen's first big venture and the foundation of the fortune he's made in the leisure industry, although he's best known for the BBC's fly-on-the-wall documentary series made at his Forest Mere Health Farm in Hampshire.

Stephen reckons the Seagulls should be up there in the First Division with the likes of Norwich or Ipswich. "The supporters have been let down badly."

Stephen admits he's more likely to be watching Arsenal these days - thanks to the immense gap between the Premier League and the rest - but says he wouldn't want to invest in any club other than Brighton and Hove.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.