Miriam González Durántez

This name uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is González and the second or maternal family name is Durántez.
Miriam González Durántez
Spouse of the Deputy Prime Minister
of the United Kingdom
Incumbent
Assumed office
11 May 2010
Personal details
Born 31 May 1968
Olmedo, Valladolid, Spain
Nationality Spanish
Political party Liberal Democrat
Spouse(s) Nick Clegg (m. 2000-present)
Children Antonio, Alberto and Miguel
Alma mater University of Valladolid
Occupation Lawyer and lobbyist
Religion Roman Catholicism

Miriam González Durántez[1][2][3] (born 31 May 1968) is a partner of international legal practice Dechert and the wife of Rt Hon Nick Clegg MP, the Liberal Democrat Party Leader and Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. She was born in Olmedo, Spain, and now works in Britain and lives with her husband and their three children.[4][5][6][7]

Early life

Miriam González Durántez was born to two teachers in Olmedo, in the Spanish province of Valladolid. Her father, José Antonio González Caviedes, was also Mayor of Olmedo and served as a Senator for Valladolid for the conservative People's Party (PP) from 1989 until his death in 1996.[8] She studied law at the University of Valladolid and then won a postgraduate scholarship to the College of Europe in Bruges, Belgium. She met Nick Clegg in Bruges, and continued to work there.[9]

Career

Having previously worked as an advisor on trade law, economic relations and the Middle East to both the European Union and the British Government, González is a partner at Dechert, where she works as the Head of the EU Trade and EU Relations.[10] Prior to that, she worked at DLA Piper for six years.

She is considered an expert on European Union law and co-authored the book Regulatory Aspects of the WTO Telecoms Agreements.[11]

Since October 2013 she has been the President of Canning House in London (the home of the Hispanic and Luso-Brazilian Council).[12]

She has also been on the Board of Directors of Acciona, S.A. from June 2010 until July 2014.

Libyan controversy

In February 2011, controversy arose surrounding DLA Piper's lobbying efforts on behalf of the Libyan government. Liberal Democrats and Labour alike expressed concern, including European Parliament Committee on Foreign Affairs member Richard Howitt.[13]

Personal life

Miriam dated Nick Clegg for several years in Brussels before they decided to marry. They married in 2000 and have three sons. She insisted on Spanish names if they were to have the family name "Clegg". She is a practising Roman Catholic, and together with her husband they agreed that their children will be raised as such, though her husband is agnostic.[14][15][16] She has not taken British citizenship and so, as an EU citizen who is not a Commonwealth or Irish citizen, she can vote in local and European elections but not in UK Parliamentary elections.[17]

Miriam González Durántez attends the Je Suis Charlie rally in Trafalgar Square, January 2015

2010 UK General Election campaign

When Sarah Brown and Samantha Cameron became increasingly involved in the media and 2010 United Kingdom general election campaigns, the spotlight turned to Miriam González Durántez. She publicly said that she would be "willing to help" with the campaign but, unlike Samantha Cameron, she would be unable to take time off from work and her family life to take part.[18] Asked by a Spanish newspaper whether she would quit her job, Miriam González Durántez said, "If Nick were Prime Minister and I had to give up my job to support the country, I would have no problem in doing so."[19]

References

  1. Kite, Melissa (2010-03-20). "I’m not as fortunate as Samantha Cameron, says Miriam Clegg". Telegraph. Retrieved 2014-02-21.
  2. Joe Murphy, Political Editor (2013-10-08). "Miriam Clegg: It is silly to say women who care about fashion are stupid - Politics - News - London Evening Standard". Standard.co.uk. Retrieved 2014-02-21.
  3. "Miliband: Wife Won't Introduce Me On Stage". News.sky.com. 2013-09-10. Retrieved 2014-02-21.
  4. Nick Clegg's wife Miriam Gonzalez Durantez cannot vote for her husband Mail Online, 22 March 2010
  5. The Lib Dems' new 'first lady' BBC News, 18 December 2007
  6. Lib Dem wives: Can you spot the difference? Times Online, 20 October 2007
  7. Westminster wives The Observer, 14 March 2010
  8. González Caviedes, José Antonio SENADORES (HISTORIA)
  9. "'I'd give Nick 8/10 for Spanish', says Lib Dem leader's wife" Times Online, 16 September 2008
  10. "Miriam Gonzalez". Dechert website. Retrieved 17 October 2014.
  11. Our People - Miriam Gonzalez DLA Piper
  12. "Legal firm that employs Nick Clegg's wife advised Gaddafi regime", Tom Harper. London Evening Standard. February 22, 2011. Accessed February 27, 2011
  13. I don't believe in God, says new Lib Dem chief The Scotsman, 20 December 2007
  14. The Nick Clegg story BBC News, 19 December 2007
  15. Nick Clegg may send sons to private school Times Online, 14 September 2008
  16. Nick Cleggs Wife Miriam Gonzalez Durante Vote Husband, Daily Mail
  17. Nick Clegg's wife rules out prominent election role Mail Online, 21 March 2010
  18. "Nick Clegg's wife Miriam: I'd quit job if he won". 18 April 2010.