Wife to independent politician being spineless sort (4)

I believe the answer is:

wimp

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'spineless sort' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both people as well as being singular nouns.
Maybe you can see a link between them that I don't see?

'wife to independent politician' is the wordplay.
'wife' becomes 'w'.
'to independent' becomes 'i'.
'politician' becomes 'mp'.
'w'+'i'+'mp'='WIMP'

'being' is the link.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for wimp that I've seen before include "Feeble or ineffectual person" , "Someone ineffectual" , "Softy" , "Weak cowardly person" , "one of the Tory wets?" .)

I've seen this clue in The Independent.

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