- 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 
Personal details Born 10 May 1968
Olmedo, SpainNationality Spanish Political party Member of the Liberal Democrat Party Spouse(s) Nick Clegg (m. 2000-present) Children 3 sons Alma mater University of Valladolid Occupation Lawyer and lobbyist Religion Roman Catholic Miriam González Durántez (born 10 May 1968) is a forthcoming partner of international legal practice Dechert and the wife of Liberal Democrat Party Leader and Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Rt Hon Nick Clegg MP. She was born in Olmedo, Spain, and now lives and works in Britain with her husband and their three children.[1][2][3][4]
Contents
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 from 1989 until his death in 1996.[5] 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.[6]
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 Durántez is now a forthcoming partner of Dechert. Prior to that, she was a partner of DLA Piper where she worked as the head of EU Trade.
She is considered an expert on EU Law and co-authored the book Regulatory Aspects of the WTO Telecoms Agreements.[7]
Since 2009 she has been a Vice-President of Canning House in London (the home of the Hispanic and Luso-Brazilian Council).[8]
On 8 June 2010 the Board of Directors of Acciona, S.A., the Spanish renewable energy infrastructure projects and water management conglomerate, announced its intention to table the appointment of Miriam González Durántez as a non-executive Director at its forthcoming AGM to be held on 10 June 2010.[9]
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 Foreign Affairs Committee member Richard Howitt.[10]
Personal life
González Durántez dated 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 Roman Catholic, and together with her husband they agreed that their children will be raised as such, though her husband has said he does not believe in God.[11][12][13]
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. González 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[14], although lingistic barriers seem also to have influenced this decision. Asked by a Spanish newspaper whether she would quit her job, González 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."[15]
References
- ^ Nick Clegg's wife Miriam Gonzalez Durantez cannot vote for her husband Mail Online, 22 March 2010
- ^ The Lib Dems' new 'first lady' BBC News, 18 December 2007
- ^ Lib Dem wives: Can you spot the difference? Times Online, 20 October 2007
- ^ Westminster wives The Observer, 14 March 2010
- ^ González Caviedes, José Antonio SENADORES (HISTORIA)
- ^ "'I'd give Nick 8/10 for Spanish', says Lib Dem leader's wife" Times Online, 16 September 2008
- ^ Our People - Miriam Gonzalez DLA Piper
- ^ http://www.canninghouse.org/content/about/people/
- ^ "Board to recommend appointment of Miriam González Durantez as Non-Executive Director" Acciona, 8 June 2010
- ^ "Legal firm that employs Nick Clegg's wife advised Gaddafi regime", Tom Harper. London Evening Standard. February 22, 2011. Accessed February 27, 2011
- ^ I don't believe in God, says new Lib Dem chief The Scotsman, 20 December 2007
- ^ The Nick Clegg story BBC News, 19 December 2007
- ^ Nick Clegg may send sons to private school Times Online, 14 September 2008
- ^ Nick Clegg's wife rules out prominent election role Mail Online, 21 March 2010
- ^ "Nick Clegg's wife Miriam: I'd quit job if he won". 18 April 2010. http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2010/04/18/nick-clegg-s-wife-miriam-i-d-quit-job-if-he-won-115875-22193449.
Nick Clegg Government Premiership of David Cameron • Cameron Ministry • Conservative – Liberal Democrat Coalition Agreement • Coalition government • Frontbench Team
Politics General elections Party elections Family Miriam González DurántezIn the media F·R·I·E·N·D·S (2010) • The New Coalition Academy (2010) • Cameron and Clegg Face the Audience (2010)Wikimedia Categories:- 1968 births
- Living people
- People from Valladolid
- Spanish Roman Catholics
- Spouses of British politicians
- Spanish lawyers
- Spanish emigrants to the United Kingdom
- College of Europe alumni
- Nick Clegg
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