Tory Michael Gove and journalist wife Sarah Vine split as they finalise divorce

Tory Minister Michael Gove and his wife Sarah Vine have agreed to separate and are "in the process of finalising their divorce", a spokesman for the couple has said.

The couple have been married for nearly 20 years and share two children.

A statement of behalf of the couple said: "Michael and Sarah have agreed to separate and they are in the process of finalising their divorce.

"They will continue to support their two children and they remain close friends.

"The family politely ask for privacy at this time and will not be providing any further comment."

Daily Mail columnist Ms Vine recently wrote about the challenges of being married in Westminster, in a piece about the resignation of ex-Health Secretary Matt Hancock.

Michael Gove was pictured in Whitehall hours before the news of his split was announced (Peter Macdiarmid/LNP)

Mr Hancock was forced to quit after pictures emerged of him kissing his aide Gina Coladangelo in his Whitehall office.

In a column on the scandal, Ms Vine wrote: "The problem with the wife who has known you since way before you were king of the world is that she sees through your facade.

"She knows your fears and your insecurities. She knows that, deep down inside, you are not the Master of the Universe you purport to be. And some people don’t like to be reminded of that."

She added: “It is very hard to do these high-level, high-pressure, high-stakes jobs unless you have someone prepared to take up the reins in every other department of your life.

“But the problem is that inevitably sets you on different tracks. You become so entrenched in your respective roles that you begin to drift apart.”

Matt Hancock and his aide Gina Coladangelo were caught kissing in his Whitehall office (Zuma Press / eyevine)

Mr Gove and Ms Vine met in 1999 and tied the knot two years later.

Mr Gove has held a string of Cabinet posts and famously knifed Boris Johnson in the back by announcing his candidacy for the Tory leadership after the Brexit vote.

The family are well connected in Tory circles, and Ms Vine is godmother to one of David Cameron's daughters.

A friend of the couple said: "This is a difficult and sad decision for Michael and Sarah after twenty years of marriage.

"It is an entirely amicable separation and there is no-one else involved.

"They have drifted apart over the past couple of years but they remain friends.

"Their absolute priority is the children."