Saturday, April 10, 2010

War of the wives: Lib Dems' secret weapon revealed as Miriam Clegg makes an appearance at last

By Sara Nelson

Nick Clegg's high-flying lawyer wife Miriam Gonzalez Durantez joined her husband on the Lib Dem election trail for the first time today

The Spanish lawyer wife of Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg has made a deliberately understated debut in the campaign race.

Miriam Gonzalez Durantez appeared at a party event in her husband’s Sheffield Hallam constituency today during a rare break from her job at law firm DLA Piper.

The 41-year-old, who will not be clearing her schedule for the campaign, has said: ‘I don’t have a job I can abandon for five weeks and I imagine that’s true for most people.’

Mrs Clegg was dressed down in jeans and a loose grey cardigan for the event. Her husband looked similarly casual in trainers and an open-necked shirt.

While the mother-of-three’s decision to keep a low profile will be inevitably contrasted with the very public roles of David Cameron’s wife Samantha and Sarah Brown, Mr Clegg has stressed it is not a deliberate ploy to help win votes.

He said: ‘It wasn’t really a decision. Miriam has a job. She can’t take three-and-a-half to four weeks off work.

‘It was literally never a question. I can’t stress enough, what other people do is completely up to them.

‘I would like to be with Miriam every minute of the day, but she loves her job and I love mine.’


David Cameron popped up to scare babies today at Kingston Hospital's maternity unit


Despite his protests, Mrs Clegg’s absence has proved to be an election asset for her husband, with a mumsnet panel for the newspaper agreeing.

One respondent said: ‘I feel quite offended by the whole “political wives” thing.

‘It’s belittling. It paints them as appendages and they’re not. I’m not voting for Sam or Sarah.’

Having said that, Mrs Cameron was conspicuous by her absence today when her husband made a visit to the maternity ward of Kingston Hospital.

The expectant-father-to-be cooed at newborn babies and met staff during the outing.


Gordon Brown and wife Sarah Brown speak with a young girl as they meet meet locals on Kirkcaldy High Street


And he even asked midwives for advice for his wife, who is expecting the couple’s fourth child in September, and has been making frequent appearances on her husband’s campaign trail.

Mariama Godoman replied: ‘Put her feet up and make you do all the work,’ prompting him to joke the cameras should have been off for that comment.

Gordon Brown was accompanied by his wife Sarah today in Kirkcaldy as the pair campaigned in Scotland.



source: dailymail