Nick Clegg facts for kids

"Nicholas Clegg" redirects here. For his father, the British businessman, see Nicholas P. Clegg.

Quick facts for kids The Right Honourable Sir Nick Clegg
Clegg at the 2023 AI Safety Summit

Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
In office 12 May 2010 – 8 May 2015
Prime Minister	David Cameron
Preceded by	John Prescott
Succeeded by	Dominic Raab
Lord President of the Council
In office 12 May 2010 – 8 May 2015
Prime Minister	David Cameron
Preceded by	The Lord Mandelson
Succeeded by	Chris Grayling
Leader of the Liberal Democrats
In office 18 December 2007 – 16 July 2015
President	Simon Hughes The Baroness Scott of Needham Market Tim Farron The Baroness Brinton
Deputy	Vince Cable Simon Hughes Malcolm Bruce
Preceded by	Menzies Campbell
Succeeded by	Tim Farron
Member of Parliament for Sheffield Hallam
In office 5 May 2005 – 3 May 2017
Preceded by	Richard Allan
Succeeded by	Jared O'Mara
Member of the European Parliament for East Midlands
In office 10 June 1999 – 10 June 2004
Preceded by	Constituency established
Succeeded by	Robert Kilroy-Silk
Liberal Democrat portfolios
2006–2007	Home Affairs
2016–2017	Brexit
2016–2017	International Trade

Personal details
Born	Nicholas William Peter Clegg (1967-01-07) 7 January 1967 (age 58) Chalfont St Giles, Buckinghamshire, England
Political party	Liberal Democrats
Spouse	Miriam González Durántez (m. 2000)
Children	3
Residences	Atherton, California, US
Education	Westminster School
Alma mater	Robinson College, Cambridge (BA) University of Minnesota College of Europe (MA)
Signature

Sir Nicholas "Nick" William Peter Clegg (born 7 January 1967) is a British former politician. He also worked as a media executive. He served as the Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2010 to 2015. Before that, he was the Leader of the Liberal Democrats political party from 2007 to 2015. He was also a Member of Parliament (MP) for Sheffield Hallam from 2005 to 2017. He believed in ideas that mixed social freedom with economic freedom.

Nick Clegg was born in Buckinghamshire, England. He went to Westminster School and then studied at the University of Cambridge, University of Minnesota, and College of Europe. He worked as a journalist before becoming a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) in 1999. After becoming an MP in 2005, he held several important roles in the Liberal Democrats. He became the party leader in 2007. As leader, he said his party was "radical centrist," meaning they aimed for a middle ground in politics. He supported lower taxes, changes to how elections work, and more focus on protecting the environment.

In the 2010 general election, no single party won enough seats to form a government alone. The Liberal Democrats, led by Clegg, joined with the Conservative Party to form a coalition government. Nick Clegg became the Deputy Prime Minister. In this role, he helped pass the Fixed-term Parliaments Act 2011, which set fixed dates for general elections. A big debate happened when the Liberal Democrats changed their promise to oppose increases in university tuition fees. This decision caused some controversy. After the 2015 general election, the Liberal Democrats lost many seats. Clegg then stepped down as Deputy Prime Minister and party leader.

After leaving Parliament in 2017, Clegg moved to the United States. In 2018, he started working for Facebook, Inc. (now called Meta Platforms). He became the Vice-President of Global Affairs and Communications. In 2022, he was promoted to President for Global Affairs. He announced he would leave Meta in 2025.

Early Life and Family Background

Nick Clegg was born in Chalfont St Giles, Buckinghamshire. He was the third of four children. His mother, Hermance van den Wall Bake, was Dutch. His father, Nicholas Peter Clegg, was a bank chairman.

Clegg has a diverse family background. His grandmother was a Baltic-German noblewoman from Russia. His mother was held in a camp by the Japanese military during the Second World War in Indonesia. She met his father during a visit to England in 1956.

Clegg speaks five languages: English, French, Dutch, German, and Spanish. He has said that his family's history of escaping difficult situations made him believe strongly in liberal values. His Dutch mother also taught him to question the strict social classes in British society.

Education and Early Career

Westminster School

Nick Clegg went to two private schools: Caldicott School and Westminster School in London. When he was 16, he was an exchange student in Munich. He and a friend accidentally caused a small fire at a cactus collection. He was arrested but not formally charged, and he completed some community service. He later said he was "not proud" of this incident.

After school, Clegg spent a year working as a skiing instructor in Austria. In 1986, he went to Cambridge University to study Archaeology and Anthropology. He was involved in student theatre and played tennis. He also supported the human rights group Survival International.

After university, he received a scholarship to study at the University of Minnesota. He then worked as an intern for a progressive magazine in New York City. Later, he moved to Brussels and worked as a trainee helping countries of the former Soviet Union. He then earned a master's degree at the College of Europe in Belgium. There, he met his future wife, Miriam González Durántez, who is a lawyer.

Before Entering Politics

Before becoming a politician, Clegg worked for a lobbying firm. He also won a journalism prize from the Financial Times newspaper. He wrote articles about how industries were being privatized in former communist countries.

In 1994, he joined the European Commission. He managed aid programs for countries in Central Asia and the Caucasus. He also worked on trade negotiations for the European Union. Later, he became an adviser and speechwriter for a Vice-President of the European Commission.

Clegg has written many articles and books. He wrote about improving education by giving more power to local schools. He also contributed to a book called The Orange Book, suggesting market-based solutions for European institutions.

Member of the European Parliament (1999–2004)

In 1998, Nick Clegg was chosen to represent the Liberal Democrats in the European Parliament for the East Midlands. He was elected in 1999. He was the first Liberal politician elected in that region since 1931.

As an MEP, Clegg helped start the Campaign for Parliamentary Reform. This group pushed for changes to expenses and more openness in the European Parliament. He also became the spokesperson for Trade and Industry for the European Liberal Democrat group. He worked on new EU laws about telephone networks.

Clegg decided to leave Brussels in 2002. He believed that the most important work to convince people about the benefits of Europe needed to be done in Britain, not in Brussels. He also wrote a regular column for Guardian Unlimited. In one article, he criticized Gordon Brown for being "condescending" towards Germany. This article later caused controversy during the 2010 general election.

Becoming a Member of Parliament (2005–2017)

After leaving the European Parliament, Clegg joined a political lobbying firm. In 2003, he was chosen as the Liberal Democrat candidate for Sheffield Hallam. He also taught politics part-time at the University of Sheffield.

In the 2005 general election, Clegg won the Sheffield Hallam seat. He received over 50% of the votes. He also became the treasurer and secretary of a group focused on National Parks, as his constituency included part of the Peak District National Park.

After his election, the Liberal Democrat leader, Charles Kennedy, made Clegg the party's spokesperson on Europe. Many people saw him as a future leader of the party. When Kennedy resigned in 2006, Clegg decided not to run for leader. Instead, he supported Menzies Campbell, who won the election.

Home Affairs Spokesperson

In 2006, Clegg became the Liberal Democrats' spokesperson for Home Affairs. In this role, he strongly defended civil liberties. He proposed a "Freedom Bill" to remove laws he felt were unnecessary. He also campaigned against Identity Cards and keeping innocent people's DNA. He argued against too many anti-terrorism laws. He also pushed for prison reform and a more open approach to immigration.

Becoming Party Leader

In 2007, there was much talk about Menzies Campbell stepping down as leader. Clegg admitted he wanted to be leader, which added to the speculation. Campbell resigned on 15 October 2007.

Clegg was seen as the favorite to win the leadership election. He launched his campaign on 19 October 2007. He won the election, and it was announced on 18 December. In his acceptance speech, Clegg said he was "a liberal by temperament, by instinct and by upbringing." He stated his main goals were to protect civil liberties, give more power to local communities, and protect the environment.

In an interview, Clegg said he was an agnostic, meaning he doesn't know if God exists, but he respects people of faith. He resigned as leader of the Liberal Democrats after the 2015 general election. He said the results were "crushing." Tim Farron succeeded him as leader.

Working with Other Parties

In Parliament, Clegg often criticized the Labour Party and Prime Minister Gordon Brown. Later, he also began to focus on David Cameron and the Conservative Party. Clegg refused Cameron's offer for their two parties to work together. He argued that the Liberal Democrats were truly "progressive" and different from the Conservatives. At a party meeting in 2009, he said the Conservatives offered "fake, phoney change" compared to the "real change" offered by the Liberal Democrats.

Parliamentary Expenses Scandal

Clegg was the first party leader in modern history to call for the Speaker of the House of Commons to resign. This happened after the Speaker's handling of a scandal involving MPs' expenses.

In response to the expense revelations, Clegg proposed reforms for Parliament. He called for politicians to accept a report on expenses, allow voters to remove MPs for serious wrongdoing, and reform the House of Lords. He also wanted fixed-term parliaments and changes to reduce the power of the government.

Key Policies as Leader

When he became leader, Clegg wanted to give patients more choices in the National Health Service (NHS). He also called for a significant tax cut to give people more money. He supported better environmental protection and wanted to abandon Britain's Trident missile system. He also pushed for more power for local councils and for voters to be able to force a special election if their MP behaved badly.

He argued for "savage" spending cuts and said politicians should treat voters "like grown ups."

Gurkha Campaign Success

On 29 April 2009, the Liberal Democrats proposed in Parliament that all Gurkha soldiers should have an equal right to live in the UK. This motion won, defeating the government's position. Clegg called it a "victory for justice" for the Gurkhas.

On 21 May 2009, the government announced that all Gurkha veterans who served before 1997 for at least four years could settle in the UK. Actress Joanna Lumley, who campaigned for Gurkha rights, celebrated this decision.

Deputy Prime Minister (2010–2015)

Clegg with Cameron in 2010

After the 2010 general election, no single party won enough seats to form a government. David Cameron, the Conservative leader, offered to negotiate with the Liberal Democrats to form a coalition government. Clegg agreed, saying the party with the most seats should try to govern.

After Gordon Brown resigned, Cameron became Prime Minister, and Clegg became the Deputy Prime Minister and Lord President of the Council. He also became Minister for Constitutional and Political Reform, a key goal for the Liberal Democrats. Only two of the 57 Liberal Democrat MPs did not support the coalition agreement.

On 5 July 2010, Clegg announced plans to reduce the number of MPs and hold a referendum on the voting system. The referendum, held on 5 May 2011, asked voters if they wanted to use the "alternative vote" system instead of the current "first past the post" system. The proposal was defeated by a 2:1 margin.

Clegg also confirmed plans for five-year fixed-term parliaments. This meant elections would be held on a set date every five years. The Fixed-term Parliaments Act 2011 became law in September 2011.

On 21 July 2010, Clegg became the first Liberal Democrat leader to answer for Prime minister's questions. During one session, he criticized Jack Straw for the decision to invade Iraq. This comment was controversial because it did not reflect the government's official policy at the time.

A major issue was student tuition fees. Before the 2010 election, Clegg and other Liberal Democrat MPs had promised to oppose any increase in fees. As part of the coalition agreement, the Liberal Democrats allowed an increase in fees but were allowed to not vote on it. Clegg said this was one of the hardest decisions of his career. He later apologized in 2012, not for breaking the promise, but for making a promise they weren't sure they could keep.

Clegg in 2014

In October 2010, Clegg announced plans for a "fairness premium" of £7 billion. This money would provide extra support for the poorest students. It included free nursery education for two-year-olds and a "pupil premium" for schools to help students who qualified for free school meals.

In June 2011, Clegg proposed a "people's bank" plan. This plan would give shares in Royal Bank of Scotland and Lloyds Banking Group to over 46 million people. He said it was important for people to have a stake in the banks after the financial crisis.

In August 2012, plans to reform the House of Lords were dropped. Clegg said the Conservatives had broken the coalition agreement. He then announced he would withdraw proposals to reform the Lords due to strong opposition from Conservative MPs. He also said he would not take a seat in an unreformed House of Lords if offered one in the future.

After Parliament (2015–2017)

Clegg kept his Sheffield Hallam seat in the 2015 election, even though Labour campaigned strongly against him. He supported the "Britain Stronger in Europe" campaign during the 2016 European Union membership referendum. All other Liberal Democrat MPs also supported staying in the EU. Clegg became the Liberal Democrat spokesperson for exiting the European Union and for International Trade. In the 2017 general election, Clegg lost his seat in Sheffield Hallam to Jared O'Mara of the Labour Party.

Career After Politics

Brexit Views

Clegg giving a speech in 2017

In October 2017, Clegg wrote a book called How to Stop Brexit (And Make Britain Great Again). In the book, he argued that Brexit was not set in stone.

In May 2018, he joined other politicians in calling for a "soft Brexit." This meant a Brexit that would keep closer ties with the EU. The next month, he attended a "People's Vote" march in London. This group wanted a public vote on the final Brexit deal.

In July 2019, Clegg said that "aggressive English nationalism" had taken over the Conservative Party. He also said that the "clock is now ticking for the end of the union of the United Kingdom."

Media and Broadcasting

From 2013 to 2015, Clegg hosted a weekly radio show called Call Clegg on LBC. The show was nominated for two Radio Academy Awards in 2014.

Between April and October 2018, Clegg hosted a podcast called Anger Management with Nick Clegg. In this podcast, he interviewed famous people about the politics of anger.

A political broadcast where Clegg apologized for the Liberal Democrats breaking their promise on tuition fees was remixed into a song. The song, "Nick Clegg Says I'm Sorry", was sold as a charity single and appeared on the UK Singles Charts.

Working at Facebook (Meta)

Clegg at the AI Safety Summit in 2023

In October 2018, Clegg was hired by Facebook, Inc. (now Meta Platforms) as Vice-President, Global Affairs and Communications. He said he joined Facebook because he believed the company's culture was changing. He also felt that lawmakers needed to discuss how companies use data. He admitted that the Cambridge Analytica data scandal had "rocked Facebook."

In April 2019, some EU officials criticized Clegg, saying he misunderstood EU law. In May 2019, he disagreed with calls to break up Facebook, saying it was "a great American success story." In June 2019, Clegg stated there was "absolutely no evidence" that Russia influenced the EU referendum using Facebook. He said the company was working towards more regulation for tech firms.

In 2020, Clegg helped create the Facebook Oversight Board. This board helps make decisions about content on Facebook. He also played a role in Facebook's decision to remove former U.S. President Donald Trump from the platform in 2021.

Before the "Facebook Files" were released in October 2021, Clegg wrote a memo saying there was no evidence Facebook caused polarization. He later defended the company in public interviews. In February 2022, Clegg was promoted to President of Global Affairs.

In January 2025, Clegg announced he would leave Meta. His deputy, Joel Kaplan, is set to replace him. This change has been seen as an effort to improve Meta's relationship with Donald Trump, who is expected to begin his second term as U.S. president.

Personal Life

Clegg with his wife Miriam holding their third son Miguel on 23 February 2009

In September 2000, Clegg married Miriam González Durántez from Spain. They have three sons. While Clegg does not believe in God, his wife is Roman Catholic, and they are raising their children as Catholics. Clegg identifies as a feminist.

Clegg lives in Atherton, California, in the US. He also has a house in his former constituency near the Peak District. He has described Stanage Edge in the Peak District as "one of the most romantic places in the world." In May 2010, it was announced that Clegg would share the use of Chevening, an official country residence, with the Foreign Secretary. In August 2022, Clegg announced he was moving back to London for personal reasons, including being closer to his elderly parents. He now divides his work time between London and California.

When he appeared on Desert Island Discs in 2010, his music choices included Johnny Cash, Prince, and Radiohead. He said his luxury item would be "a stash of cigarettes." In an interview in 2011, Clegg said he coped with political pressure by reading novels and that he "cries regularly to music." He supports Arsenal F.C., a football club.