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Nicholas Clegg MP
Lib Dem Home Affairs Spokesman
Incumbent
Assumed office  2 March 2006
Leader	Menzies Campbell
Preceded by	Mark Oaten
Succeeded by	Incumbent
Member of Parliament for Sheffield Hallam
Incumbent
Assumed office  5 May 2005
Preceded by	Richard Allan
Succeeded by	Incumbent
Majority	8,682 (21.4%)
Born	January 07, 1967 (1967-01-07) (age 40) Buckinghamshire, England
Nationality	British
Political party	Liberal Democrats
Spouse	Miriam Gonzalez Durantez
Alma mater	Robinson College, Cambridge

Nicholas William Peter Clegg, known as Nick Clegg, (born 7 January 1967) is the British Member of Parliament for Sheffield Hallam and Liberal Democrat Home Affairs Spokesman. Image File history File links Gnome_globe_current_event. ... A Member of Parliament, or MP, is a representative elected by the voters to a parliament. ... Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ... The Liberal Democrats are the third-largest political party in the United Kingdom. ... For the ecclesiastical office, see Incumbent (ecclesiastical). ... is the 61st day of the year (62nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Sir Walter Menzies Campbell, CBE, QC (born 22 May 1941), commonly known as Ming Campbell, is a British politician and retired sprinter. ... Mark Oaten Mark Oaten (born 8 March 1964, Watford) is a Liberal Democrat politician in the United Kingdom, and Member of Parliament for the Winchester constituency. ... For the ecclesiastical office, see Incumbent (ecclesiastical). ... Sheffield Hallam is a Parliamentary constituency covering the south west portion of the City of Sheffield, England. ... For the ecclesiastical office, see Incumbent (ecclesiastical). ... // is the 125th day of the year (126th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Richard Allan (11 February 1966) was the British Member of Parliament for Sheffield Hallam from the general election of Thursday the 2nd of May 1997 until the dissolution of Parliament on the 11th of April 2005. ... January 7 is the 7th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1967 (MCMLXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the 1967 Gregorian calendar. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_England. ... Buckinghamshire (abbreviated Bucks) is one of the home counties in South East England. ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Full name Robinson College Motto - Named after Sir David Robinson Previous names - Established 1977 Sister College St Catherines College Warden (Anthony) David Yates Location Grange Road Undergraduates 390 Graduates 96 Homepage Boatclub Robinson College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Cambridge. ... is the 7th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1967 (MCMLXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the 1967 Gregorian calendar. ... A Member of Parliament, or MP, is a representative elected by the voters to a parliament. ... Sheffield Hallam is a Parliamentary constituency covering the south west portion of the City of Sheffield, England. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ...

Early life

Nick Clegg was born in Buckinghamshire in 1967, the third of four children. Buckinghamshire (abbreviated Bucks) is one of the home counties in South East England. ...

His half Russian father was a banker, and founder of the Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation.^{[citation needed]} His Dutch mother was a part time teacher of children with special educational needs. He was brought up bilingually in Dutch and English and also speaks French, German and Spanish.^{[citation needed]} Special education is instruction that is modified or particularized for those students with special needs, such as learning differences, mental health problems, specific disabilities (physical or developmental) [1] , and giftedness [2]. // Children with special needs have always been part of society. ... The term bilingualism (from bi meaning two and lingua meaning language) can refer to rather different phenomena. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ...

Education

Clegg was educated at Westminster School a boys' independent school in London, and then at Robinson College, Cambridge, spending a gap year as a ski instructor in Austria and as an office junior in a Helsinki bank. It was during this gap year in Austria that he secured a criminal conviction for arson, something which he said he was "Not proud" of, when it re-emerged during his time as Lib Dem Home Affairs spokesman. [1] For other uses, see Westminster School (disambiguation). ... An independent school is a school which is not dependent upon national or local government for financing its operation and is instead operated by tuition charges, gifts, and perhaps the investment yield of an endowment. ... Full name Robinson College Motto - Named after Sir David Robinson Previous names - Established 1979 Sister College St Catherines College Warden David Yates Location Grange Road Undergraduates 390 Graduates 96 Homepage Boatclub Robinson College is one of the colleges making up the University of Cambridge. ... This article is about the city in England. ... “convicted” redirects here. ... The Skyline Parkway Motel in Afton, Virginia after an arson fire on July 9, 2004. ...

At Cambridge, Clegg studied Archaeology with Anthropology. He was active in the student theatre, captain of the college tennis team, and campaigned for Survival International, protecting the rights of threatened indigenous peoples. Survival International is a human rights organisation formed in 1969 that campaigns for the rights of indigenous peoples, helping them preserve their land and culture. ...

After university he was awarded a scholarship to study at the University of Minnesota for a year, where he wrote a thesis on the political philosophy of the Deep Green movement. He then moved to New York, where he worked as an intern under Christopher Hitchens at The Nation, a left wing magazine. This article is about the oldest and largest campus of the University of Minnesota. ... Deep ecology is a recent branch of ecological philosophy (ecosophy) that considers humankind as an integral part of its environment. ... Christopher Eric Hitchens (born April 13, 1949) is a British-American author, journalist and literary critic. ... The Nation (ISSN 0027-8378) is a weekly [1] U.S. periodical devoted to politics and culture, self-described as the flagship of the left. [2] Founded on July 6, 1865 as an Abolitionist publication, it is the oldest continuously published weekly magazine in the United States. ...

Clegg then moved to Brussels, where he worked for six months as a trainee in the G24 Co-ordination Unit, which delivered aid to the countries of the former Soviet Union. After the internship he took a second Masters degree at College D'Europe in Bruges, where he met his wife Miriam Gonzalez Durantez. They have since had two sons.

Career before politics

In 1993, Nick Clegg won the Financial Times David Thomas Prize, set up in memory of David Thomas, a FT journalist killed on assignment in Kuwait in 1991. He was the first recipient and was sent to Hungary, where he wrote articles about the mass privatisation of industries in the former communist bloc. The Financial Times (FT) is a British international business newspaper. ... David Thomas is a very common name, especially in Wales, UK. Famous people of this name include: Dafydd Ddu Eryri (1759-1822) David Cuthbert Thomas (died 1916) David Thomas (industrialist) (1794-1882) David Alfred Thomas (1856-1918) David Hurst Thomas, American archeologist David Vaughan Thomas (1873-1934) David Thomas (composer...

In April 1994 he took up a post at the European Commission, working in the TACIS aid programme to the former Soviet Union. For two years he was responsible for developing direct aid programmes, worth €50 million, in central Asia and the Caucasus. He was involved in negotiations with Russia on airline overflight rights, and launched a conference in Tashkent in 1993 that founded TRACECA – the Transport Corridor for Europe, the Caucasus and Asia, or The New Silk Road. Berlaymont, the Commissions seat The European Commission (formally the Commission of the European Communities) is the executive branch of the European Union. ... TACIS is an abbreviation of Technical Aid to the Commonwealth of Independent States program, an institutional restructuring programme implemented by the European Commission to help members of the Commonwealth of Independent States (as well as Mongolia), in their transition to democratic market-oriented economies. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Caucasus Mountains. ... TRACECA - an international organisation of economic cooperation. ...

Vice President and Trade Commissioner Leon Brittan then offered Clegg a job in his private office, as a European Union policy adviser and speechwriter. As part of this role, Clegg was in charge of the EC negotiating team on Chinese and Russian accession talks to the World Trade Organisation. Sir Leon Brittan, Rt. ... For other uses of the initials WTO, see WTO (disambiguation). ...

Member of the European Parliament

Nick Clegg was selected as the lead Liberal Democrat Euro-candidate for the East Midlands in 1998, and was first tipped as a politician to watch by Paddy Ashdown in 1999 in the Nottingham Evening Post. This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... East Midlands is a constituency of the European Parliament. ... Jeremy John Durham Ashdown, Baron Ashdown of Norton-sub-Hamdon, GCMG, KBE, PC, (born 27 February 1941), commonly known as Paddy Ashdown, is a British politician. ... The Nottingham Evening Post is an English tabloid newspaper which serves Nottingham, Nottinghamshire and some parts of Derbyshire such as Long Eaton and Sandiacre. ...

On his election in 1999, he was the first Liberal parliamentarian in the East Midlands since Ernest Pickering was elected MP for Harborough in 1931, and was credited with helping to significantly boost the Liberal Democrat poll rating in the region in the six months after his election. Clegg worked extensively during his time as a MEP to support the party in the region, not least in Chesterfield where Paul Holmes was elected as a MP in 2001. Ernest Dinwoodie Pickering (December 14, 1928 – October 16, 2000) was a fundamentalist pastor, author, college administrator, and mission board representative. ... Harborough is a local government district of Leicestershire, England, named for its main town, Market Harborough. ... This article is about the English town. ... Paul Holmes could refer to: Paul Robert Holmes, Liberal Democrat MP for Chesterfield. ...

In Europe, Clegg co-founded the Campaign for Parliamentary Reform, which led calls for reforms to expenses, transparency and accountability in the European Parliament. Established 1952, as the Common Assembly President Hans-Gert Pöttering (EPP) Since 16 January 2007 Vice-Presidents 14 Rodi Kratsa-Tsagaropoulou (EPP) Alejo Vidal-Quadras (EPP) Gérard Onesta (Greens – EFA) Edward McMillan-Scott (ED) Mario Mauro (EPP) Miguel Angel Martínez Martínez (PES) Luigi Cocilovo (ALDE) Mechtild...

He was made Trade and Industry spokesman for the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE), and led on legislation for "local loop unbundling", opening up telephone networks across Europe to competition. It was the fastest piece of legislation ever to go through the parliament, and the subject of an in depth BBC Open University documentary on EU decision making. ALDE logo The Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (French: Alliance des Démocrates et des Libéraux pour lEurope) is a Group in the European Parliament. ... Affiliations Alliance of Non-Aligned Universities, Association of Commonwealth Universities, European Association of Distance Teaching Universities, Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools Website http://www. ...

Clegg campaigned extensively against illegal logging, and wrote a report which advocated that World Trade Organization (WTO) rules should be waived to allow an embargo on illegally logged timber. Clegg worked with fellow MEP Chris Davies on legislation to ban cosmetics tested on animals, pushing the law through despite arguments from the government that it was impossible under WTO rules. He also worked extensively with Green MEPs on legislation to liberalise the EU's energy sector, arguing that liberalisation was a crucial tool to promote greater green energy-efficiency and sustainability. Clegg took a leading role in providing Parliamentary oversight in the ongoing WTO world trade talks, acting as a founder member of the WTO Parliamentary Assembly and attending a number of WTO summits. Illegal logging is the harvest, transportation, purchase or sale of timber in violation of national laws. ... “WTO” redirects here. ... Chris Davies, MEP Christopher Graham Chris Davies (born 7 July 1954 in Lytham St Annes, Lancashire) is a Liberal Democrat politician in the United Kingdom. ...

Clegg played an active role in persuading Conservative MEP Bill Newton Dunn to defect to the Liberal Democrats. Bill Newton Dunn subsequently succeeded him as MEP for the East Midlands. William Bill Newton Dunn (born 3 October 1941 in Greywell, Hampshire) is a British politician. ...

Clegg decided to leave Brussels in 2002, arguing that the battle to persuade the public of the benefits of Europe was being fought at home, not in Brussels. He explained his reasons for standing down in the Guardian: http://www.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,,848483,00.html

Member of Parliament

Nick Clegg's work in the East Midlands included campaigning together with the neighbouring MP Richard Allan, in the Sheffield Hallam constituency. Sheffield Hallam is a Parliamentary constituency covering the south west portion of the City of Sheffield, England. ...

When in November 2005 Allan announced his intention to stand down from parliament, Clegg was selected as the new candidate for Sheffield Hallam. He then took up a part time teaching position in the politics department of Sheffield University, combining it with ongoing EU consultancy work which he took up after his departure from the European Parliament. He also gave a series of seminar lectures in the International Relations Department of Cambridge University. University of Sheffield Rerum Cognoscere Causas (To discover the causes of things) Shield image © University of Sheffield The University of Sheffield is a university located in Sheffield, England. ... The University of Cambridge is the second-oldest university in the English-speaking world, with one of the most selective sets of entry requirements in the United Kingdom. ...

Clegg worked closely with Allan throughout the campaign - including starring in a local pantomime - and won the seat in the 2005 general election with over 50% of the vote, and a majority of 8,682. This result represents one of the smallest swings away from the party in any seat in which an existing MP has been succeeded by a newcomer. It has been suggested that Marginal constituencies in the United Kingdom be merged into this article or section. ...

On his election, Clegg was elevated by leader Charles Kennedy to be the party's Spokesperson on Europe, focusing on the party's preparations for an expected referendum on the European constitution and acting as deputy to Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Ming Campbell. Charles Peter Kennedy (born 25 November 1959), is a British politician who was the leader of the Liberal Democrats, the third largest political party in the United Kingdom, from 9 August 1999 until 7 January 2006. ... The Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe, commonly referred to as the European Constitution, is an international treaty intended to create a constitution for the European Union. ... Menzies Campbell The Right Honourable Sir Walter Menzies Campbell CBE QC (born 22 May 1941) is a Scottish barrister and the Liberal Democrat member of Parliament for North East Fife. ...

Clegg's ability to articulate Liberal values at a very practical level have quickly lent him prominence, with many already seeing him as a future Liberal Democrat leader. Following the resignation of party leader Charles Kennedy on 7 January 2006, Clegg was touted as a possible leadership contender. He was quick to rule himself out and to declare his support for Sir Menzies Campbell, who won the ballot. Charles Peter Kennedy (born 25 November 1959), is a British politician who was the leader of the Liberal Democrats, the third largest political party in the United Kingdom, from 9 August 1999 until 7 January 2006. ... is the 7th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Sir Walter Menzies Campbell, CBE, QC (born 22 May 1941), commonly known as Ming Campbell, is a British politician and retired sprinter. ... Chris Huhne, Sir Menzies Campbell and Simon Hughes at the hustings at the Friends Meeting House in London on 23 February 2006. ...

After the 2006 leadership election, Clegg was promoted to be Shadow Home Secretary, replacing Mark Oaten. In this job he has spearheaded the Liberal Democrats' defence of civil liberties, proposing a Freedom Bill to repeal unnecessary and illiberal legislation ([2]), campaigning against Identity Cards and the retention of innocent people's DNA, and arguing against excessive counter-terrorism legislation. He has campaigned for prison reform, a liberal approach to immigration, and defended the Human Rights Act against ongoing attacks from across the political spectrum. Mark Oaten Mark Oaten (born 8 March 1964, Watford) is a Liberal Democrat politician in the United Kingdom, and Member of Parliament for the Winchester constituency. ... German identity document sample An identity document is a piece of documentation designed to prove the identity of the person carrying it. ... A Human Rights Act is a piece of shit what a pile of wank legislation that sets out individual rights and freedoms under law. ...

In January 2007 Clegg launched the We Can Cut Crime campaign, widely welcomed by local campaigners^{[citation needed]} as a new and successful way for the Liberal Democrats to campaign effectively on crime.

In Sheffield, Clegg has campaigned on local transport, recycling, housing development, and health. He has close links with both of the city's universities and has opposed the closure of local services including fire stations and post offices. He is also Treasurer and Secretary of the All Party Parliamentary Group on National Parks, a particular interest given that his constituency includes parts of the Peak District National Park. For other uses, see Sheffield (disambiguation). ... The Peak District National Park is a national park in the north of England. ...

Publications and policy

Nick Clegg has written extensively, publishing and contributing to a large number of pamphlets and books. With Professor Richard Grayson he wrote a book in 2002 about the importance of devolution in secondary education systems, based on comparative research across Europe. The final conclusions included the idea of pupil premiums so that children from poorer backgrounds receive the additional resources their educational needs require. Richard Grayson (1951–) is a writer, political activist and performance artist, most noted for his books of short stories and his satiric runs for public office. ...

He wrote a controversial pamphlet for the Centre for European Reform advocating devolution and evolution of the European Union, and contributed to the 2004 Orange Book, where he made similar proposals for reform of European institutions. He also co authored a pamphlet with Duncan Brack arguing for a wholesale reform of world trade rules to allow room for a greater emphasis on development, internationally binding environmental treaties, and parliamentary democracy within the WTO system. The Centre for European Reform is a London-based think tank devoted to improving the quality of the debate on the European Union. ... Orange Book is an informal name for a number of official publications, including: FDA Center for Drug Evaluation and Research - Approved Drug Products with Therapeutic Equivalence Evaluations Trusted Computer System Evaluation Criteria Handbook of EBU Directives and Permitted Conventions Standards relating to CD-MO, CD-R and CD-RW are...

Clegg chaired a policy working group for the Liberal Democrats on the Third Age in 2004, which focused on the importance of ending the cliff-edge of retirement and providing greater opportunities for older people to remain active beyond retirement. The group developed initial proposals on transforming post offices to help them survive as community hubs, in particular for older people. For other uses, see The Third Age. ...

He served on Charles Kennedy's policy review, Meeting the Challenge, and the It's About Freedom working parties.

Clegg also wrote a fortnightly column for Guardian Unlimited for four years while serving as a MEP. Guardian Unlimited is a British website owned by the Guardian Media Group. ...

Future Prospects

Since his election, Nick Clegg has been consistently mentioned as a potential candidate for the leadership of the Liberal Democrats. Although he did not stand for the Liberal Democrats leadership election, 2006, he admitted on 18 September 2007 that he "probably would" stand for the leadership upon the eventual retirement of Sir Menzies Campbell, an event which took place on the 15th October 2007. Clegg's comments were seen by media commentators as a swipe against Campbell's leadership, and he was rebuked by other senior Liberal Democrats including potential leadership rival Chris Huhne^[1]. BBC Political Editor Nick Robinson has stated (BBC Radio 4 Today Programme, 16 October 2007) that the election will be a two-horse race between Clegg and Chris Huhne. Chris Huhne, Sir Menzies Campbell and Simon Hughes at the hustings at the Friends Meeting House in London on 23 February 2006. ... is the 261st day of the year (262nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... Christopher Murray Paul Huhne, known as Chris Huhne, (born 2 July 1954) is a British Liberal Democrat politician and the current Member of Parliament for the Eastleigh constituency in Hampshire. ... Nick Robinson (right) interviewing Michael Portillo in July 2001. ... Today, sometimes referred to as the Today programme to avoid ambiguity, is BBC Radio 4s long-running early morning news and current affairs programme, which is now broadcast from 6am to 9am from Monday to Friday and from 7am to 9am on Saturdays. ... Christopher Murray Paul Huhne, known as Chris Huhne, (born 2 July 1954) is a British Liberal Democrat politician and the current Member of Parliament for the Eastleigh constituency in Hampshire. ...

At the resignation of Campbell, Clegg was regarded by much of the media as front-runner in the election campaign for leader of the Liberal Democrats.^[2][3]

References

The Guardian is a British newspaper owned by the Guardian Media Group. ... is the 262nd day of the year (263rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ...

External links

• Nicholas Clegg MP official site
• Nick Clegg MP profile at the site of Liberal Democrats
• Sheffield Liberal Democrats
• Guardian Unlimited Politics - Ask Aristotle: Nick Clegg MP
• TheyWorkForYou.com - Nicholas Clegg MP
• Nick Clegg MP Open Rights Group
• The Public Whip - Nick Clegg voting record
• "I would stand for leader - Clegg", BBC News

BBC News is the department within the BBC responsible for the corporations news-gathering and production of news programmes on BBC television, radio and online. ...

Offices held