A deputy prime minister or vice prime minister is, in some countries, a government minister who can take the position of acting prime minister when the prime minister is temporarily absent. The position is often likened to that of a vice president, but is significantly different, though both positions are "number two" offices. The position of deputy prime minister should not be confused with the Canadian office of the Deputy Minister of the Prime Minister of Canada, which is a non-political civil servant position (Nor does the Deputy Prime Minister of Canada act as a "number two"). The states of Australia and provinces of Canada each have the analogous office of deputy premier. In the devolved administrations of the United Kingdom, an analogous position is that of the deputy first minister.

A deputy prime minister traditionally serves as acting prime minister when the real prime minister is temporarily absent or incapable of exercising his/her power. For this reason the deputy prime minister is often asked to succeed to the prime minister's office following the prime minister's sudden death or unexpected resignation, although this is not necessarily constitutionally mandated.

Deputy prime minister is often a job that is held simultaneously with another ministry, and is usually given to one of the most senior, experienced ministers of the cabinet.

A deputy prime minister may also be deputy leader of the governing party, or the leader of the junior party of a coalition government.

Little scholarly attention has focused on deputy prime ministers. A 2009 study in Political Science identified nine 'qualities' of deputy prime ministership: temperament; relationships with their Cabinet and caucus; relationships with their party; popularity with the public; media skills; achievements as deputy prime minister; relationship with the prime minister; leadership ambition; and method of succession.^[1]

By contrast, the structure of the Government of Russia ^[2] and Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine foresees the positions of several deputy prime ministers or vice prime ministers.^[3] In the case of the Russian government, the Prime Minister is responsible for defining the scope of the duties for each of his or her deputies,^[4] who also may head a specific ministry - e.g. the former Minister of Finance of Russia, Alexey Kudrin also serves as one of the deputies of the prime ministers or vice-premiers. One or two of these deputy prime ministers may hold the title of a First Deputy Prime Minister. The Russian federal law indicates that in accordance with the order established in advance, one of the deputy prime ministers may temporarily substitute for the Prime Minister in his or her absence. Customarily, however, it is to one of the "First" Deputy Prime Ministers that the prime-ministerial duties may be delegated. At the same time, in the case of Prime Minister's resignation, the law allows the President of Russia to choose any of the current vice-premiers to serve as an acting Prime Minister until the confirmation of the new government.^[5]

Country-related articles[link]

Flag	Title	Notes
Africa
Uganda	First, Second and Third Deputy Prime Ministers of Uganda
Mauritius	Deputy Prime Minister of Mauritius
America
Bahamas	Deputy Prime Minister of the Bahamas
Canada	Deputy Prime Minister of Canada	position not currently in use
Asia
People's Republic of China	Vice Premier of the People's Republic of China
India	Deputy Prime Minister of India	position not currently in use
Israel	Deputy Prime Minister of Israel
Japan	Deputy Prime Minister of Japan
Malaysia	Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia
Republic of China	Vice Premier of the Republic of China
Singapore	Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore
Thailand	Deputy Prime Minister of Thailand
Turkey	Deputy Prime Minister of Turkey
Europe
Finland	Deputy Prime Minister of Finland
Germany	Vice-Chancellor of Germany
Greece	Deputy Prime Minister of Greece
Ireland	Tánaiste (Deputy head of government of Ireland)
Macedonia	Deputy Prime Minister of Macedonia
Malta	Deputy Prime Minister of Malta
Netherlands	Deputy Prime Minister of the Netherlands
Poland	Deputy Prime Minister of Poland
Russia	First Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation
Spain	First Vice President of the Government (Spain)
Sweden	Deputy Prime Minister of Sweden
United Kingdom	Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
Oceania
Australia	Deputy Prime Minister of Australia
New Zealand	Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand

Formerly name country[link]

• Deputy Premier of the Soviet Union
• First Deputy Premier of the Soviet Union

References[link]

1. ^ Steven Barnes, 'What About Me? Deputy Prime Ministership in New Zealand', Political Science, Vol. 61, No. 1, 2009, pp. 33-49
2. ^ Article 110.2 of the Constitution of Russian Federation
3. ^ Article 114 of the Constitution of Ukraine
4. ^ Article 25 of the Federal Constitutional Law "On the Government of Russian Federation" from December 17, 1997
5. ^ Article 8 of the Federal Constitutional Law "On the Government of Russian Federation

A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime minister is the presiding member and chairman of the cabinet. In a minority of systems, notably in semi-presidential systems of government, a prime minister is the official who is appointed to manage the civil service and execute the directives of the head of state.

In parliamentary systems fashioned after the Westminster system, the prime minister is the presiding and actual head of the government and head of the executive branch. In such systems, the head of state or the head of state's official representative (i.e. the monarch, president, or governor-general) usually holds a largely ceremonial position, although often with reserve powers.

The prime minister is often, but not always, a member of parliament and is expected with other ministers to ensure the passage of bills through the legislature. In some monarchies the monarch may also exercise executive powers (known as the royal prerogative) which are constitutionally vested in the crown and may be exercised without the approval of parliament.

As well as being head of government, a prime minister may have other roles or titles—the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, for example, is also First Lord of the Treasury and Minister for the Civil Service.^[1] Prime ministers may take other ministerial posts—for example during the Second World War, Winston Churchill was also Minister of Defence (although there was then no Ministry of Defence).

Etymology[link]

The prime ministers of five members of the Commonwealth of Nations at the 1944 Commonwealth Prime Ministers' Conference.

The first actual usage of the term prime minister or Premier Ministre was used by Cardinal Richelieu when in 1625 he was named to head the royal council as prime minister of France. Louis XIV and his descendants generally attempted to avoid giving this title to their chief ministers. The term prime minister in the sense that we know it originated in the 18th century in the United Kingdom.^{[citation needed]}

History[link]

Since medieval times monarchs of England and the United Kingdom had ministers in whom they placed special trust and who were regarded as the head of the government. Examples were Thomas Cromwell under Henry VIII; William Cecil, Lord Burghley under Elizabeth I; Clarendon under Charles II and Godolphin under Queen Anne. These ministers held a variety of formal posts, but were commonly known as "the minister", the "chief minister", the "first minister" and finally the "prime minister".

The power of these ministers depended entirely on the personal favour of the monarch. Although managing the parliament was among the necessary skills of holding high office, they did not depend on a parliamentary majority for their power. Although there was a cabinet, it was appointed entirely by the monarch, and the monarch usually presided over its meetings.

When the monarch grew tired of a first minister, he or she could be dismissed, or worse: Cromwell was executed and Clarendon driven into exile when they lost favour. Kings sometimes divided power equally between two or more ministers to prevent one minister from becoming too powerful. Late in Anne's reign, for example, the Tory ministers Harley and St John shared power.

Post-English Civil War (1642–1651)[link]

In the mid 17th century, after the English Civil War and the Protectorate, Parliament had strengthened its position and it emerged even more powerful after the Glorious Revolution of 1688. The monarch could not establish any law or impose any tax without its permission. Thus it has been said that the House of Commons became a part of the government and it has been only a further step of this development that a new kind of prime minister should emerge.

This turning point in the evolution of the prime ministership came with the death of Anne in 1714 and the accession of George I. George spoke no English, spent much of his time at his home in Hanover, and had neither knowledge of nor interest in the details of English government. In these circumstances it was inevitable that the king's first minister would become the de facto head of the government.

From 1721 this was the Whig politician Robert Walpole, who held office for twenty-one years. Walpole chaired cabinet meetings, appointed all the other ministers, dispensed the royal patronage and packed the House of Commons with his supporters. Under Walpole, the doctrine of cabinet solidarity developed. Walpole required that no minister other than himself have private dealings with the king, and also that when the cabinet had agreed on a policy, all ministers must defend it in public or resign. As a later prime minister, Lord Melbourne, said: "It matters not what we say, gentlemen, so long as we all say the same thing."

Walpole always denied that he was "prime minister", and throughout the 18th century parliamentarians and legal scholars continued to deny that any such position was known to the Constitution. The title was first referred to on government documents during the administration of Benjamin Disraeli but did not appear in the formal British Order of precedence until 1905. George II and George III made strenuous efforts to reclaim the personal power of the monarch, but the increasing complexity and expense of government meant that a minister who could command the loyalty of the Commons was increasingly necessary. The long tenure of the wartime Prime Minister Pitt the Younger (1783–1801), combined with the mental illness of George III, consolidated the power of the post.

The prestige of British institutions in the 19th century and the growth of the British Empire saw the British model of cabinet government, headed by a prime minister, widely copied, both in other European countries and in British colonial territories as they developed self-government. In some places alternative titles such as "premier", "chief minister", "first minister of state", "president of the council" or "chancellor" were adopted, but the essentials of the office were the same.

By the late 20th century the majority of the world's countries had a prime minister or equivalent minister, holding office under either a constitutional monarchy or a ceremonial president. The main exceptions to this system have been the United States and the presidential republics in Latin America, modelled on the U.S. system, in which the president directly exercises executive authority.

Bahrain's Prime Minister, Sheikh Khalifah bin Sulman Al Khalifah has been in the post since 1971, making him the longest serving non-elected Prime Minister.

Prime ministers in republics and in monarchies[link] The post of prime minister may be encountered both in constitutional monarchies (such as Belgium, Denmark, Japan, the Netherlands, Indonesia, Norway, Malaysia, Morocco, Spain,[2] Sweden, Thailand, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom), and in parliamentary republics in which the head of state is an elected official (such as Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, India, Italy, Ireland, Pakistan, Portugal, Montenegro, Croatia, Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia and Turkey). This contrasts with the presidential system, in which the president (or equivalent) is both the head of state and the head of the government. See also "First Minister", "Premier", "Chief Minister", "Chancellor", "Taoiseach" and "Secretary of State": alternative titles usually equivalent in meaning to, or translated as, "prime minister". The head of government of the People's Republic of China is referred to as the Premier. In some presidential or semi-presidential systems, such as those of France, Russia or South Korea, the prime minister is an official generally appointed by the president but usually approved by the legislature and responsible for carrying out the directives of the president and managing the civil service. (The premier of the Republic of China is also appointed by the president, but requires no approval by the legislature. Appointment of the prime minister of France requires no approval by the parliament either, but the parliament may force the resignation of the government. In these systems, it is possible for the president and the prime minister to be from different political parties if the legislature is controlled by a party different from that of the president. When it arises, such a state of affairs is usually referred to as (political) cohabitation. Entry into Office[link] In parliamentary systems a prime minister may enter into office by several means. By appointment by the head of state, without reference to parliament: While in practice most prime ministers under the Westminster system (including Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Malaysia, India and the United Kingdom) are the leaders of the largest party in parliament, technically the appointment of the prime minister is a royal prerogative exercised by the monarch or the governor-general. In India, the Prime Ministerial candidate must be a member of parliament either Lok Sabha (Lower House) or Rajya Sabha (Upper House). No parliamentary vote takes place on who is forming a government. However as the government will have to outline its legislative programme to parliament in, for example, the Speech from the Throne, the speech is sometimes used to test parliamentary support. A defeat of the Speech is taken to mean a loss of confidence and so requires either a new draft, resignation, or a request for a dissolution of parliament. Until the early 20th century governments when defeated in a general election remained in power until their Speech from the Throne was defeated and then resigned. No government has done so for one hundred years, though Edward Heath in 1974 did delay his resignation while he explored whether he could form a government with Liberal party support. In such systems unwritten (and unenforceable) constitutional conventions often outline the order in which people are asked to form a government. If the prime minister resigns after a general election, the monarch usually asks the leader of the opposition to form a government. Where however a resignation occurs during a parliament session (unless the government has itself collapsed) the monarch will ask another member of the government to form a government. While previously the monarch had some leeway in whom to ask, all British political parties now elect their leaders (until 1965 the Conservatives chose their leader by informal consultation). The last time the monarch had a choice over the appointment occurred in 1963 when the Earl of Home was asked to become Prime Minister ahead of Rab Butler. During the period between the time it is clear that the incumbent government has been defeated at a general election, and the actual swearing-in of the new prime minister by the monarch or governor-general, that person is variously referred to as the "prime minister-elect", "...-designate" etc. Neither term is strictly correct from a constitutional point of view, but they have wide acceptance. In a situation in which a ruling party elects or appoints a new leader, the incoming leader will usually be referred as "prime minister-in-waiting". An example or this situation was in 2003 in Canada when Paul Martin was elected leader of the Liberal Party of Canada while Jean Chrétien was still prime minister. Appointment by the head of state after parliament nominates a candidate: Example: The Republic of Ireland where the President of Ireland appoints the Taoiseach on the nomination of the Dáil Éireann. The head of state nominates a candidate for prime minister who is then submitted to parliament for approval before appointment as prime minister: Example: Spain, where the King sends a nomination to parliament for approval. Also Germany where under the German Basic Law (constitution) the Bundestag votes on a candidate nominated by the federal president. In these cases, parliament can choose another candidate who then would be appointed by the head of state. The head of state appoints a prime minister who has a set timescale within which s/he must gain a vote of confidence: (Example: Italy, Romania, Thailand) The head of state appoints the leader of the political party with the majority of the votes in the Parliament as Prime Minister: (Example: Greece) Direct election by parliament: (Example: Japan, Papua New Guinea, Pakistan.) Direct election by popular vote: (Example: Israel, 1996–2001, where the prime minister was elected in a general election, with no regard to political affiliation.) Nomination by a state office holder other than the head of state or his/her representative: (Example: Under the modern Swedish Instrument of Government, the power to appoint someone to form a government has been moved from the monarch to the Speaker of Parliament and the parliament itself. The speaker nominates a candidate, who is then elected to prime minister (statsminister) by the parliament if an absolute majority of the members of parliament does not vote no (i.e. he can be elected even if more MP:s vote no than yes). Prime ministers and constitutions[link] The position, power and status of prime ministers differ depending on the age of the constitution. Australia's constitution makes no mention of a Prime Minister of Australia. Bangladesh's constitution clearly outlines the functions and powers of the Prime Minister, and also details the process of his/her appointment and dismissal. The People's Republic of China constitution set a premier just one place below the president of the PRC. While the president deals with international problems, the premier deals with national problems. For example, the earth quake in 2008, the premier will be the first to arrive, then the president arrived after to just examine the situation. Premier read as (Simplified Chinese: 总理; pinyin: Zŏnglĭ) in Chinese. Canada's constitution, being a 'mixed' or hybrid constitution (a constitution that is partly formally codified and partly uncodified) originally did not make any reference whatsoever to a prime minister, with her or his specific duties and method of appointment instead dictated by "convention". In the Constitution Act, 1982, passing reference to a "Prime Minister of Canada" is added, though only regarding the composition of conferences of federal and provincial first ministers. Germany's Basic Law (1949) lists the powers, functions and duties of the federal chancellor. Greece's constitution (1975) lists the powers, functions and duties of the Prime Minister of Greece. India's constitution (1950) lists the powers, functions and duties of the Prime Minister of India. Ireland's constitution (1937), provides for the office of Taoiseach in detail, listing powers, functions and duties. Italy's constitution (1948) lists the powers, functions and duties of the Prime Minister of Italy. Japan's constitution (1946) lists the powers, functions and duties of the Prime Minister of Japan. Malta's constitution (1964) lists the powers, functions and duties of the Prime Minister of Malta. Malaysia's constitution (1957) lists the powers, functions and duties of the Prime Minister of Malaysia. Pakistan's constitution (1973) lists the powers, functions and duties of the Prime Minister of Pakistan. Spain's constitution (1978) regulates the appointment, dismissal, powers, functions and duties of the President of the Government. Thailand's constitution (1932) lists the powers, functions and duties of the Prime Minister of Thailand. The United Kingdom's constitution, being uncodified and largely unwritten, makes no mention of a prime minister. Though it had de facto existed for centuries, its first mention in official state documents did not occur until the first decade of the twentieth century. Accordingly, it is often said "not to exist", indeed there are several instances of parliament declaring this to be the case. The prime minister sits in the cabinet solely by virtue of occupying another office, either First Lord of the Treasury (office in commission), or more rarely Chancellor of the Exchequer (the last of whom was Balfour in 1905). Exit from office[link] Most prime ministers in parliamentary systems are not appointed for a specific term in office and in effect may remain in power through a number of elections and parliaments. For example, Margaret Thatcher was only ever appointed prime minister on one occasion, in 1979. She remained continuously in power until 1990, though she used the assembly of each House of Commons after a general election to reshuffle her cabinet. Some states, however, do have a term of office of the prime minister linked to the period in office of the parliament. Hence the Irish Taoiseach is formally 'renominated' after every general election. (Some constitutional experts have questioned whether this process is actually in keeping with the provisions of the Irish constitution, which appear to suggest that a taoiseach should remain in office, without the requirement of a renomination, unless s/he has clearly lost the general election.) The position of prime minister is normally chosen from the political party that commands majority of seats in the lower house of parliament. In parliamentary systems, governments are generally required to have the confidence of the lower house of parliament (though a small minority of parliaments, by giving a right to block supply to upper houses, in effect make the cabinet responsible to both houses, though in reality upper houses, even when they have the power, rarely exercise it). Where they lose a vote of confidence, have a motion of no confidence passed against them, or where they lose supply, most constitutional systems require either: a) a letter of resignation or b) a request for parliamentary dissolution. The latter in effect allows the government to appeal the opposition of parliament to the electorate. However in many jurisdictions a head of state may refuse a parliamentary dissolution, requiring the resignation of the prime minister and his or her government. In most modern parliamentary systems, the prime minister is the person who decides when to request a parliamentary dissolution. Older constitutions often vest this power in the cabinet. (In the United Kingdom, for example, the tradition whereby it is the prime minister who requests a dissolution of parliament dates back to 1918. Prior to then, it was the entire government that made the request. Similarly, though the modern 1937 Irish constitution grants to the Taoiseach the right to make the request, the earlier 1922 Irish Free State Constitution vested the power in the Executive Council (the then name for the Irish cabinet). Titles[link] Different terms are used to describe prime ministers. In Germany and Austria the prime minister is actually titled Federal Chancellor (Bundeskanzler). In the Russian constitution the prime minister is actually titled Chairman of the government while the Irish prime minister is called the Taoiseach (which is rendered into English as prime minister), and in Israel he is 'Rosh HaMemshalah' meaning head of government. In many cases, though commonly used, "prime minister" is not the official title of the office-holder; the Spanish prime minister is the President of the Government (Presidente del Gobierno). Other common forms include president of the council of ministers (for example in Italy, Presidente del Consiglio dei Ministri), President of the Executive Council, or Minister-President. In the Scandinavian countries the prime minister is called statsminister in the native languages (i.e. minister of state). In federations, the head of government of subnational entities such as provinces is most commonly known as the premier, chief minister, governor or minister-president. In non-Commonwealth countries the prime minister may be entitled to the style of Excellency like a president. In some Commonwealth countries prime ministers and former prime ministers are styled Right Honourable due to their position, for example in the Prime Minister of Canada. In the United Kingdom the prime minister and former prime ministers may appear to also be styled Right Honourable, however this is not due to their position as head of government but as a privilege of being current members of Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council.[3] In the UK where devolved government is in place, the leaders of the Scottish, Northern Irish and Welsh Governments are styled First Minister. In India, The Prime Minister is referred to as "Pradhan Mantri", meaning "prime minister". In Pakistan, the prime minister is referred to as "Wazir-e-Azam", meaning "Grand Vizier". Description of the role[link] Wilfried Martens, who served as Prime Minister of Belgium, described his role as follows: First of all [the Prime Minister] must listen a lot, and when deep disagreements occur, he must suggest a solution to the matter. This can be done in different ways. Sometimes during the discussion, I note the elements of the problem and think of a proposal I can formulate to the Council (cabinet), the Secretary taking notes. The Ministers then insist on changing game ages. The Prime Minister can also make a proposal which leaves enough room for amendments in order to keep the current discussion on the right tracks. When a solution must be found in order to reach a consensus, he can force one or two Ministers to join or resign.[citation needed] Lists of prime ministers[link] The following table groups the list of past and present prime ministers and details information available in those lists. Government List starts Parties shown Term given by years or dates Incumbent Abkhazia 1995 - dates Leonid Lakerbaia Afghanistan 1927 - years (Post abolished) Albania (List) 1912 - years Sali Berisha Algeria 1962 yes years Ahmed Ouyahia Andorra 1982 - years Antoni Martí Angola 1975 - dates (Post abolished) Anguilla 1976 yes dates Hubert Hughes Antigua and Barbuda 1981 - years Baldwin Spencer Armenia 1918 yes dates Tigran Sargsyan Aruba 1986 - dates Mike Eman Australia (List) 1901 yes dates Julia Gillard Austria 1918 yes years Werner Faymann Azerbaijan 1918 yes dates Artur Rasizade Bahamas 1967 - dates Hubert Ingraham Bahrain 1970 - years Sheikh Khalifah bin Sulman Al Khalifah Bangladesh 1971 yes dates Sheikh Hasina Barbados 1954 yes dates Freundel Stuart Belarus 1919 - dates Mikhail Myasnikovich Belgium 1831 yes dates Elio Di Rupo Belize 1973 yes years Dean Barrow Benin 1957 yes dates Pascal Koupaki Bermuda 1968 yes dates Paula Cox Bhutan 1952 - dates Jigme Thinley Bosnia and Herzegovina 1943 - dates Vjekoslav Bevanda Botswana 1965 yes dates (Post abolished) Brazil 1847 yes dates (Post abolished) British Virgin Islands 1967 yes dates Orlando Smith Bulgaria 1879 yes dates Boyko Borisov Burkina Faso 1971 - dates Luc-Adolphe Tiao Burundi 1961 yes dates (Post abolished) Cambodia 1945 - years Hun Sen Cameroon 1960 - dates Philémon Yang Canada (List) 1867 yes dates Stephen Harper Cape Verde 1975 - dates José Maria Neves Cayman Islands 1992 yes dates McKeeva Bush Central African Republic 1958 - dates Faustin-Archange Touadéra Chad 1978 - dates Emmanuel Nadingar People's Republic of China (List) 1949 - dates Wen Jiabao Comoros 1957 yes dates (Post abolished) Congo (Brazzaville) 1957 yes dates (Post abolished) Congo (Kinshasa) (List) 1960 yes dates Augustin Matata Ponyo Cook Islands 1965 yes dates Henry Puna Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast) 1957 yes dates Jeannot Ahoussou-Kouadio Croatia 1939 - dates Zoran Milanović Cuba 1940 - dates Raúl Castro Curaçao 2010 - dates Gerrit Schotte Northern Cyprus 1983 yes dates İrsen Küçük Czech Republic 1993 - years Petr Nečas Denmark (List) 1848 - years Helle Thorning-Schmidt Djibouti 1977 - dates Dileita Mohamed Dileita Dominica 1960 - dates Roosevelt Skerrit East Timor 2002 - dates Xanana Gusmão Egypt (List) 1878 - years Kamal Ganzouri Equatorial Guinea 1963 - dates Ignacio Milam Tang Estonia 1918 - dates Andrus Ansip Ethiopia 1942 yes dates Meles Zenawi Faroe Islands 1946 - years Kaj Leo Johannesen Fiji 1966 - dates Frank Bainimarama (interim) Finland 1917 yes years Jyrki Katainen France (List) 1589 - years François Fillon Gabon 1957 yes dates Raymond Ndong Sima The Gambia 1961 - dates (Post abolished) Ghana 1957 - dates (Post abolished) Georgia 1918 yes dates Nika Gilauri Germany (List) 1871/1949 yes dates Angela Merkel Gibraltar 1964 yes dates Fabian Picardo Greece (List) 1833 - dates Lucas Papademos Greenland 1979 - years Kuupik Kleist Grenada 1954 - years Tillman Thomas Guernsey 2007 - dates Lyndon Trott Guinea 1972 - dates Mohamed Said Fofana Guinea-Bissau 1973 - dates Adiato Djaló Nandigna (acting) Guyana 1953 - dates Sam Hinds Haiti 1988 - dates Garry Conille Hungary (List) 1848 - dates Viktor Orbán Iceland 1904 - dates Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir India (List) 1947 yes dates Manmohan Singh Indonesia 1945 yes dates (Post abolished) Iran (List) 1824 - years (Post abolished) Iraq 1920 - years Nouri al-Maliki Ireland 1937 yes dates Enda Kenny Israel (List) 1948 - years Benjamin Netanyahu Italy (List) 1861 - years Mario Monti Jamaica 1959 - years Portia Simpson-Miller Japan (List) 1885 - dates Yoshihiko Noda Jersey 2005 - dates Ian Gorst Jordan 1944 - dates Awn Shawkat Al-Khasawneh Kazakhstan 1920 - years Karim Massimov Kenya 1963 - dates Raila Odinga North Korea 1948 - years Choe Yong-rim South Korea (List) 1948 - years Kim Hwang-sik Kosovo 1945 yes dates Hashim Thaçi Kuwait 1962 yes dates Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah Kyrgyzstan 1924 - dates Omurbek Babanov Laos 1941 - years Thongsing Thammavong Latvia 1918 yes dates Valdis Dombrovskis Lebanon 1926 - dates Najib Mikati Lesotho 1965 yes dates Pakalitha Mosisili Libya 1951 - dates Abdurrahim El-Keib Liechtenstein 1921 yes dates Klaus Tschütscher Lithuania 1918 yes dates Andrius Kubilius Luxembourg 1959 - years Jean-Claude Juncker Macedonia 1943 yes dates Nikola Gruevski Madagascar 1833 - dates Omer Beriziky Malawi 1963 yes dates (Post abolished) Malaysia 1957 yes years Najib Razak Mali 1957 yes dates Cissé Mariam Kaïdama Sidibé Malta 1921 yes years Lawrence Gonzi Isle of Man 1986 - years Allan Bell Mauritania 1957 yes dates Moulaye Ould Mohamed Laghdaf Mauritius 1961 yes dates Navin Ramgoolam Moldova 1990 - dates Vlad Filat Monaco 1911 n/a dates Michel Roger Mongolia 1912 yes dates Sükhbaataryn Batbold Montenegro 1879 yes dates Igor Lukšić Montserrat 1960 yes dates Reuben Meade Morocco 1955 yes years Abdelilah Benkirane Mozambique 1974 yes dates Aires Ali Myanmar (Burma) 1948 yes dates (Post abolished) Nagorno-Karabakh 1992 no dates Arayik Harutyunyan Namibia 1990 yes dates Nahas Angula Nepal 1953 - dates Baburam Bhattarai Netherlands (List) 1848 yes dates Mark Rutte New Zealand (List) 1856 yes dates John Key Newfoundland 1855 yes dates (Post abolished) Niger 1958 yes dates Brigi Rafini Nigeria 1960 yes dates (Post abolished) Niue 1974 - dates Toke Talagi Norfolk Island 1896 - dates David Buffett Norway 1814 yes years Jens Stoltenberg Pakistan (List) 1947 - dates Yousaf Raza Gillani Palestinian National Authority 2003 yes dates Salam Fayyad Papua New Guinea 1975 yes years Peter O'Neill Peru 1975 yes dates Oscar Valdés Philippines 1899 yes dates (Post abolished) Poland (List) 1917 - dates Donald Tusk Portugal (List) 1834 yes dates Pedro Passos Coelho Qatar 1970 - dates Hamad ibn Jassim ibn Jabr Al Thani Romania 1862 - years Mihai Răzvan Ungureanu Russia (List) 1864/1905 yes dates Dmitry Medvedev Rwanda 1960 yes dates Pierre Habumuremyi Saint Kitts and Nevis 1960 - dates Denzil Douglas Saint Lucia 1960 - dates Stephenson King Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1956 - dates Ralph Gonsalves Samoa 1875 yes dates Tuilaepa Aiono Sailele Malielegaoi São Tomé and Principe 1974 yes dates Patrice Trovoada Saudi Arabia 1953 no dates King Abdullah Senegal 1957 yes dates Souleymane Ndéné Ndiaye Serbia 1805 yes years Mirko Cvetković Seychelles 1970 yes years (Post abolished) Sierra Leone 1954 yes dates (Post abolished) Singapore 1959 - dates Lee Hsien Loong Sint Maarten 2010 - dates Sarah Wescot-Williams Slovakia 1993 - dates Robert Fico Slovenia 1943 yes years Janez Janša Solomon Islands 1949 yes dates Gordon Darcy Lilo Somalia 1949 yes dates Abdiweli Mohamed Ali South Africa 1910 - dates (Post abolished) South Ossetia 1991 - dates Vadim Brovtsev Spain (List) 1705 yes years Mariano Rajoy Sri Lanka (List) 1948 - dates D. M. Jayaratne Sudan 1952 yes dates (Post abolished) Suriname 1949 yes dates (Post abolished) Swaziland 1967 - years Barnabas Sibusiso Dlamini Sweden (List) 1876 yes years Fredrik Reinfeldt Syria 1920 - dates Adel Safar Taiwan (Republic of China) (List) 1911 - dates Sean Chen Tajikistan 1924 - dates Okil Okilov Tanzania 1960 yes dates Mizengo Pinda Thailand (List) 1932 yes dates Yingluck Shinawatra Togo 1956 yes dates Gilbert Houngbo Tokelau 1992 - dates Keli Kalolo Tonga 1876 - years Sialeʻataongo Tuʻivakanō Trinidad and Tobago 1956 - dates Kamla Persad-Bissessar Tunisia 1969 - dates Hamadi Jebali Turkmenistan 1924 - dates (Post abolished) Turkey 1920 yes dates Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Turks and Caicos Islands 1976 yes dates vacant Tuvalu 1975 n/a dates Willy Telavi Uganda 1961 yes dates Amama Mbabazi Ukraine (List) 1917 - dates Mykola Azarov United Arab Emirates 1971 - years Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum United Kingdom (List) 1721 yes dates David Cameron Uzbekistan 1924 - dates Shavkat Mirziyoyev Vanuatu 1980 yes dates Sato Kilman Vatican 1644 - years Tarcisio Bertone Vietnam 1976 yes dates Nguyễn Tấn Dũng Yemen 1990 yes years Mohammed Basindawa Western Sahara 1976 no years Abdelkader Taleb Oumar Zambia 1964 yes dates (Post abolished) Zimbabwe 1923 - dates Morgan Tsvangirai

Julia Gillard, the current Prime Minister of Australia Khalifa Al Khalifa, the current Prime Minister of Bahrain Boyko Borisov, the current Prime Minister of Bulgaria Stephen Harper, the current Prime Minister of Canada Zoran Milanović, the current Prime Minister of Croatia Helle Thorning-Schmidt, the current Prime Minister of Denmark Dileita Dileita, the current Prime Minister of Djibouti Kamal Ganzouri the current Prime Minister of Egypt, and third post-revolutionary Prime Minister Jyrki Katainen, the current Prime Minister of Finland Angela Merkel, the current Chancellor of Germany Viktor Orban, the current Prime Minister of Hungary Manmohan Singh, the current Prime Minister of India Nouri Al Maliki, the current Prime Minister of Iraq Mario Monti, the current Prime Minister of Italy Yoshihiko Noda, the current Prime Minister of Japan Raila Odinga, the current Prime Minister of Kenya Nikola Gruevski, Premier of Republic of Macedonia Najib Tun Razak, the current Prime Minister of Malaysia Abdelilah Benkirane, the current Prime Minister of Morocco Mark Rutte, the current Prime Minister of the Netherlands Yousaf Raza Gillani, the current Prime Minister of Pakistan Donald Tusk, the current Prime Minister of Poland Hamad Al Thani, the current Prime Minister of Qatar Mihai Răzvan Ungureanu, the current Prime Minister of Romania Mirko Cvetković, the current Prime Minister of Serbia Robert Fico, the current Prime Minister of Slovakia Yingluck Shinawatra, the current Prime Minister of Thailand Hamadi Jebali, the current Prime Minister of Tunisia Mohammed Al Maktoum, the current Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates David Cameron, the current Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

See also[link]

• Chancellor
• Chief Minister
• Governor-General
• Head of state
• Monarch
• President

Lists:

• List of current heads of state and government
• List of democracy and election-related topics

Footnotes[link]

External links[link]

• Website of the Prime Minister of Albania
• Website of the Prime Minister of Australia
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The Right Honourable Nick Clegg MP
Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
Incumbent
Assumed office 11 May 2010
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Prime Minister	David Cameron
Preceded by	John Prescott[a]
Lord President of the Council
Incumbent
Assumed office 11 May 2010
Prime Minister	David Cameron
Preceded by	The Lord Mandelson
Leader of the Liberal Democrats
Incumbent
Assumed office 18 December 2007
Deputy	Vince Cable Simon Hughes
Preceded by	Vince Cable (Acting)
Liberal Democrat Home Affairs Spokesman
In office 2 March 2006 – 18 December 2007
Leader	Menzies Campbell
Preceded by	Mark Oaten
Succeeded by	Chris Huhne
Member of Parliament for Sheffield Hallam
Incumbent
Assumed office 5 May 2005
Preceded by	Richard Allan
Member of the European Parliament for East Midlands
In office 10 June 1999 – 10 June 2004
Preceded by	Constituency established
Succeeded by	Bill Newton Dunn
Majority	15,284 (29.9%)
Personal details
Born	Nicholas William Peter Clegg (1967-01-07) 7 January 1967 (age 45) Chalfont St Giles, England
Political party	Liberal Democrats
Spouse(s)	Miriam González Durántez (2000–present)
Children	3 sons
Alma mater	Robinson College, Cambridge University of Minnesota, Twin Cities College of Europe
Website	nickclegg.com nickclegg.org.uk
a. ^ Office vacant from 27 June 2007 – 11 May 2010

Nicholas William Peter "Nick" Clegg (born 7 January 1967) is the British Liberal Democrat Leader since 2007 and currently the Deputy Prime Minister and Lord President of the Council (with special responsibility for political and constitutional reform) in the coalition government^[1] of which David Cameron is the Prime Minister. Clegg has been the Leader of the Liberal Democrats since 2007, and a Member of Parliament (MP) representing Sheffield Hallam since 2005. He was previously a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) and an award winning journalist for the Financial Times.^[2]

Clegg was elected to the House of Commons at the 2005 general election and became the Liberal Democrats' Home Affairs spokesperson in 2006. Clegg became Deputy Prime Minister following the 2010 general election, when the Liberal Democrats formed a coalition government with the Conservative Party. As well as his parliamentary roles, Clegg has contributed to many pamphlets and books on political issues. He has also had a large number of jobs, including being a skiing instructor and working in the office of a bank in Helsinki.

Clegg attended the University of Cambridge, the University of Minnesota, and the College of Europe in Belgium. He speaks fluent English, Dutch, and Spanish. He is married to Miriam González Durántez and has three sons.

Early life and family[link]

Clegg was born in 1967 in Chalfont St Giles in Buckinghamshire. He is the third of four children of Nicholas P. Clegg CBE, the chairman of United Trust Bank,^[3] and a former trustee of the Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation^[4] (where Ken Clarke was an adviser^[5]). On his father's side of the family Clegg is related to Kira von Engelhardt, daughter of a Russian baron of German, Polish, and Ukrainian origin, Ignaty Zakrevsky, an attorney general of the Imperial Russian senate,^[6] the writer Moura Budberg,^[7] and his English grandfather Hugh Anthony Clegg, editor of the British Medical Journal for 35 years.^[8]

Clegg's Dutch mother, Hermance van den Wall Bake,^[9] was interned, along with her family, by the Japanese military in Batavia (Jakarta) in the Dutch East Indies (Indonesia). She met Clegg's father during a visit to England in 1956,^[8] and they married on 1 August 1959.^[10]

Clegg is multilingual: he speaks English, Dutch, and Spanish.^[11][12][13] His background has informed his politics. He says, "There is simply not a shred of racism in me, as a person whose whole family is formed by flight from persecution, from different people in different generations. It’s what I am. It’s one of the reasons I am a liberal."^[14] His Dutch mother instilled in him "a degree of scepticism about the entrenched class configurations in British society".^[15]

Education[link]

Clegg was educated at two independent schools: at Caldicott School in Farnham Royal in South Buckinghamshire, where he was joint Head Prefect in 1980,^{[16][17][18][19]} and later at Westminster School in Central London. As a 16-year-old exchange student in Munich, he and a friend drunkenly set fire to what he called "the leading collection of cacti in Germany". When news of the incident was reported during his time as Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman, Clegg said he had behaved "appallingly, irresponsibly, criminally",^[20] and that he was "not proud" of it.^[21] He was arrested but not formally charged, but performed a kind of community service.^[22]

He spent a gap year working as a skiing instructor in Austria, before going on to Cambridge University in 1986, where he studied Archaeology and Anthropology at Robinson College.^[23] He was active in the student theatre at Cambridge, acting alongside Helena Bonham Carter in a play about AIDS under director Sam Mendes.^[23][24][25] He was also captain of his college's tennis team, and campaigned for the human rights organisation Survival International.^[26] Clegg spent the summer of 1989 as an office junior in Postipankki bank in Helsinki.^[27]

It has been alleged that Clegg joined the Cambridge University Conservative Association between 1986 and 1987. However Clegg has maintained he has "no recollection of that whatsoever" of joining the association.^{[28][29][30][31][32]}

After university, he was awarded a scholarship to study for a year at the University of Minnesota, where he wrote a thesis on the political philosophy of the Deep Green movement. He then moved to New York City, where he worked as an intern under Christopher Hitchens at The Nation, a progressive liberal magazine, where he fact checked Hitchens' articles.^[33][33][34]

Clegg next moved to Brussels, where he worked alongside Guy Spier 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 master's degree at the College of Europe in Bruges, a university for European studies in Belgium, where he met his wife, Miriam González Durántez, a lawyer and the daughter of a Spanish senator.^[25] Nick Clegg is an alumnus of the "Mozart Promotion" (1991–92) of the College of Europe.^[35]

Careers outside politics[link]

Between 1992–1993, he was employed by GJW, which lobbied on behalf of Libya.^[36][37]

In 1993, Clegg won the Financial Times' David Thomas Prize, in remembrance of an FT journalist killed on assignment in Kuwait in 1991. Clegg was the award's first recipient. He was later sent to Hungary, where he wrote articles about the mass privatisation of industries in the former communist bloc.^[25]

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 in Central Asia and the Caucasus, worth €50 million. He was involved in negotiations with Russia on airline overflight rights, and launched a conference in Tashkent in 1993 that founded TRACECA—an international transport programme for the development of a Transport Corridor for Europe, the Caucasus and Asia. Vice President and Trade Commissioner Leon Brittan then offered Clegg a job in his private office, as a European Union policy adviser and speech writer. 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.^[25]

Written publications[link]

Clegg has written extensively, publishing and contributing to a large number of pamphlets and books. With Dr 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.

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 offered market liberal solutions for reform of European institutions.^[38] He 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.

Member of the European Parliament (1999–2004)[link]

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.^[39] On his election in 1999, he was the first Liberal parliamentarian elected in the East Midlands since Ernest Pickering was elected MP for Leicester West 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 an MEP to support the party in the region, not least in Chesterfield where Paul Holmes was elected as MP in 2001. Clegg helped persuade Conservative MEP Bill Newton Dunn to defect to the Liberal Democrats, with Newton Dunn subsequently succeeding him as MEP for the East Midlands.^[40]

As an MEP, Clegg co-founded the Campaign for Parliamentary Reform, which led calls for reforms to expenses, transparency and accountability in the European Parliament.^[41] He was made Trade and Industry spokesman for the European Liberal Democrat and Reform group (ELDR).^[42] In December 2000, Nick Clegg became the Parliament's Draftsman on a complex new EU telecoms law relating to "local loop unbundling"—opening-up telephone networks across Europe to competition.^[43] Clegg decided to leave Brussels in 2002, arguing in an article in The Guardian newspaper that the battle to persuade the public of the benefits of Europe was being fought at home, not in Brussels.^[44]

In 2004 Nick Clegg MEP explained to the Select Committee on European Union Sixteenth Report that the aim of MEPs like himself, who had been active in the debate on the EU's negotiating mandate, was to obtain the right to ratify any major WTO deal entered into by the European Union.^[45] The same year Clegg chaired a policy working group for the Liberal Democrats on the Third Age, 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. He served on Charles Kennedy's policy review, "Meeting the Challenge", and the "It's About Freedom" working parties.

Whilst an MEP Clegg, for four years, wrote a fortnightly column for Guardian Unlimited. One particular article in 2002 accused Gordon Brown of encouraging "condescension" towards Germany. In an article, Clegg wrote that "all nations have a cross to bear, and none more so than Germany with its memories of Nazism. But the British cross is more insidious still. A misplaced sense of superiority, sustained by delusions of grandeur and a tenacious obsession with the last war, is much harder to shake off".^[46][47] The article was dusted down during the 2010 General Election campaign when the Daily Mail interpreted the article as being a "Nazi slur on Britain" and Clegg had begun to feel the full heat of the British tabloid press following his success during the first Leaders debate.^[48]

Parliamentary candidate[link]

On leaving the European Parliament, Clegg joined political lobbying firm GPlus in April 2004 as a fifth partner:^[49]

Clegg worked on GPlus clients including The Hertz Corporation and British Gas.^[50]

In November 2004, then Sheffield Hallam MP Richard Allan announced his intention to stand down from parliament, Clegg was selected as the candidate for Sheffield Hallam constituency. He took up a part-time teaching position in the politics department of the University of Sheffield, combining it with ongoing EU consultancy work with GPlus. He also gave a series of seminar lectures in the International Relations Department of the University of Cambridge.

Member of Parliament (2005–present)[link]

Clegg worked closely with Allan throughout the campaign in Sheffield Hallam – 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.^[51] This result represents one of the smallest swings away from a party in a seat where an existing MP has been succeeded by a newcomer (4.3%) – see Sheffield constituency article. Clegg also campaigned locally on local transport, recycling, housing development and health. He established close links with both of the city's universities and opposed the closure of local services including fire stations and post offices. Before becoming Leader of the party in 2007 he also served as treasurer and secretary of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on National Parks, a particular interest given that his constituency includes part of the Peak District National Park.^[52]

Following his election to parliament, Clegg was promoted 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 Menzies Campbell. Clegg's ability to articulate liberal values at a very practical level quickly lent him prominence, with many already seeing him as a future Liberal Democrat Leader. Following the resignation of Charles Kennedy on 7 January 2006, Clegg was touted as a possible leadership contender.^[53] He was quick to rule himself out however instead declaring his support for Sir Menzies Campbell ahead of his former colleague in the European Parliament Chris Huhne,^[54] with Campbell going on to win the ballot.

Clegg had been a signatory to the letter circulated by Vince Cable prior to Charles Kennedy's resignation, which stated his opposition to working under Kennedy's continued leadership.^[55] Some commentators claim that Clegg's support was due to a hope that he would then inherit the leadership when Campbell's age eventually forced him to retire – the so-called rule that "young cardinals elect old popes".^[56]

Liberal Democrats' Home Affairs spokesperson[link]

After the 2006 leadership election, Clegg was promoted to be Home Affairs spokesperson, replacing Mark Oaten. In this job he spearheaded the Liberal Democrats' defence of civil liberties, proposing a Freedom Bill to repeal what he described as "unnecessary and illiberal legislation",^[57] 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. In January 2007, Clegg launched the 'We Can Cut Crime!' campaign, "proposing real action at a national level and acting to cut crime where the Liberal Democrats are in power locally".^[58]

Sir Menzies Campbell's resignation[link]

Clegg caused a degree of controversy when at the Liberal Democrat party conference in 2007 he admitted his leadership ambitions to journalists at a fringe event.^[59] The admission followed a period of increased media speculation about Sir Menzies Campbell's leadership, which the admission by Clegg did nothing to reduce and resulted in a rebuke by some of his frontbench colleagues.^[60] This followed a report from the Daily Mirror's Kevin Macguire that Clegg had failed to hide his disloyalty to Campbell's leadership.^[61] Eventually on 15 October 2007 Campbell resigned saying that questions about his leadership were "getting in the way of further progress by the party".^[62]

Leader of the Liberal Democrats (2007–present)[link]

Election to the leadership[link]

Clegg at Cardiff University

After the resignation of Campbell, Clegg was regarded by much of the media as front-runner in the leadership election.^[63][64][65] The BBC's Political Editor Nick Robinson stated the election would be a two-horse race between Clegg and Chris Huhne who had stood against Campbell in the 2006 election.^[66] On Friday 19 October 2007, Clegg launched his bid to become leader of the Liberal Democrats.^[67] Clegg and Huhne clashed in the campaign over Trident but were largely in agreement on many other issues. It was announced on 18 December that he had won.^[68] Clegg was appointed to the Privy Council on 30 January 2008 and affirmed his membership on 12 March 2008.

In his acceptance speech upon winning the leadership contest, Clegg declared himself to be "a liberal by temperament, by instinct and by upbringing" and that he believes "Britain [is] a place of tolerance and pluralism". He has stated that he feels "a profound antagonism for prejudice of all sorts".^[15] He declared his priorities as: defending civil liberties; devolving the running of public services to parents, pupils and patients; and protecting the environment.^[69]

In an interview on BBC Radio 5 Live on the morning after his election to the leadership, Clegg stated that he does not believe in God, but that he has great respect for people of faith.^[70][71] In 2010, Clegg elaborated on this question, stating "I was asked... one of those questions where you're only allowed to answer "yes" or "no",... I was asked "Do you believe in God?" As it happens I do not know whether God exists. I'm much more of an agnostic."^[72]

Clegg campaigning in Bournemouth

[edit] GQ magazine interview

Clegg's rocky start to the role was exacerbated in March 2008 when GQ magazine ran with an interview conducted by Piers Morgan in which Clegg admitted to sleeping with "no more than 30" women.^[73] Senior Lib Dem MPs defended his comments; Lembit Öpik said it showed "you can be a human being and a party Leader", and Norman Lamb that "Nick tries to be absolutely straight in everything that he does, and that might sometimes get him into trouble but he will build a reputation for being honest and straightforward."^[74] Speaking to the BBC about the interview Clegg said "wisdom with hindsight is an easy thing" as what had been a split second response had been "taken out of context, interpreted, over interpreted and so on".^[75]

Relationships with the frontbench[link]

Upon his election Clegg appointed leadership rival Chris Huhne as his replacement as Home Affairs spokesperson and following his strong performances as acting party Leader, Vince Cable was retained as the main Treasury spokesperson. Media commentators noted that the Clegg-Huhne-Cable triumvirate provided the Liberal Democrats with an effective political team for the coming years.^[76] On 5 March 2008 Clegg suffered a real test following the resignation of 3 of his front bench team. David Heath, Alistair Carmichael and Tim Farron had been told to abstain in the vote for a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty but had wanted to vote in favour and so defied the whip. In addition to the three frontbenchers a further 12 more backbench Libdem MP's also defied the whip and voted "yes". Seen as an initial test to his authority Clegg said "though we have disagreed on this issue I fully understand and respect their strongly held views on the subject.... However, as they have recognised, the shadow cabinet cannot operate effectively unless the principle of collective responsibility is maintained."^[77] The resignations happened not long after the Common's Speaker Michael Martin on 26 February 2008 had blocked calls by the Liberal Democrats for an "in or out" referendum on Britain's EU membership. The Speaker's authority was called into question when, led by Nick Clegg, the Liberal Democrats marched out of the House of Commons, calling the Speaker's decision a constitutional "outrage". Just moments before, frontbench foreign affairs spokesman for the party Ed Davey had been expelled from the chamber by the Speaker's deputy Sir Michael Lord for further challenging the ruling.^[78] In November 2008 Clegg suffered more allegations of difficulties with the front bench following an article in the Daily Mirror which reported that Clegg had criticised senior members of his front bench whilst on a plane journey.^[79] He attempted to play down the report saying to the BBC's Politics Show that "a lot of it is, frankly, fiction".^[80]

Attitudes to other parties[link]

In the Commons Clegg initially concentrated most of his fire on Labour and Prime Minister Gordon Brown, but in the autumn of 2009 began also focusing on Conservative leader David Cameron and the Conservatives.^[82] Clegg rejected an appeal from Cameron for their two parties to work together.^[83] Clegg argued that the Conservatives were totally different from his party, and that the Lib Dems were the true "progressives" in UK politics.^[83] At the 2009 party conference in Bournemouth he accused the Conservatives of "simply believing it is their turn" and claimed that come the election the "choice before people is the choice between fake, phoney change from David Cameron's Conservatives, and real change the Liberal Democrats offer".

Parliamentary expenses[link]

Clegg with David Cameron, and Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, Chris Huhne.

Clegg became the first party Leader in modern political history to call for a Speaker to resign following his handling of the expenses scandal, describing Michael Martin, the Speaker at the time, as a defender of the status quo and obstacle to the reform of Parliament.^[25][84]

In response to revelations about MPs' expenses, Clegg set out his plans for reform of Parliament in The Guardian.^[85] Speaking about the plans, he said: "let us bar the gates of Westminster and stop MPs leaving for their summer holidays until this crisis has been sorted out, and every nook and cranny of our political system has been reformed." He argued for the "reinvention of British politics" within 100 days, calling for a commitment to accept the Kelly expenses report in full; the power to recall members suspended for misconduct; House of Lords reform; reform of party funding; fixed-term parliaments; enabling legislation for a referendum on AV+; and changes to House of Commons procedure to reduce executive power.^[86]

Shortly ahead of the election, Clegg was asked about his own expenses by Andrew Neil of the BBC. Clegg allegedly claimed the full amount permissible under the Additional Cost Allowance, including claims for food, gardening and redecorating his second home. The Telegraph also said Clegg claimed £80 for international call charges, a claim he said he would repay.^[87]

Policies[link]

Clegg's platform for the Liberal Democrats has been to modernise the party at the same time as maintaining its traditions of political and philosophical Liberalism. Since becoming Leader he has called for more choice for patients on waiting lists in the National Health Service (NHS), giving them the option to go private and to be funded by the NHS if they wish; a substantial tax cut in order to "put more money back into the pockets of people", better action on the environment, the abandonment of Britain's Trident missile defence system, fixed-term parliaments; devolving more power to local councils; giving constituents the power to force a by-election if their MP was found responsible for serious wrongdoing and a slimming of government across the board.^[88] Clegg campaigned to cut spending on defence projects such as Eurofighter as well as the UK Trident programme.^[89] In terms of public spending Clegg, at the party's 2009 conference in Bournemouth, argued that there needed to be "savage" spending cuts and said politicians need to treat voters "like grown ups" whilst accusing the Labour and Conservative parties of indulging in "childish games" over the "c-word".^[90]

Gurkha campaign[link]

Nick Clegg being presented a Gurkha Hat, by a Gurkha veteran during his Maidstone visit, to celebrate the success of their joint campaign for the right to live in Britain, 2009.

On 29 April 2009 a motion in the House of Commons by the Liberal Democrats that all Gurkhas be offered an equal right of residence resulted in a defeat for the Government by 267 votes to 246. It was the only first day motion defeat for a government since 1978. On speaking about the result Clegg said "this is an immense victory [...] for the rights of Gurkhas who have been waiting so long for justice, a victory for Parliament, a victory for decency." He added that it was "the kind of thing people want this country to do".^[91] On 21 May 2009, the Home Secretary Jacqui Smith announced that all Gurkha veterans who retired before 1997 with at least four years service would be allowed to settle in the UK. The actress and daughter of Gurkha corps major James Lumley, Joanna Lumley, who had highlighted the treatment of the Gurkhas and campaigned for their rights, commented: "This is the welcome we have always longed to give".^[92]

Deputy Prime Minister (2010–present)[link]

Clegg became Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Lord President of the Council on 11 May 2010 through a coalition with the Conservative Party under Prime Minister David Cameron.^[1][93][94] He has also been made Minister for Constitutional and Political Reform, which was a key point for the Liberal Democrats during the creation of the coalition and it will be his responsibility to work on this.

The Coalition Agreement[link]

The morning after the 2010 General Election presented the country with no one political party able to form a government that would command a majority in the House of Commons. In light of this reality the Conservative Leader David Cameron went public and gave a “big, open and comprehensive offer” to the Lib Dem Leader and said that he wanted to open up negotiations with the Liberal Democrats to form Britain's first coalition government since the second world war. Replying Clegg said that he had always maintained that the party with the most seats and the most votes should have the right to seek to govern. Speaking to the press he said “It seems this morning that it is the Conservative Party which has more votes and more seats – although not an absolute majority – which is why I now think that it is the Conservative Party which should seek to govern in the national interest."^[95] Following the announcement teams of negotiators from both parties formulated what would become the 'Coalition Agreement' which would form the basis of their partnership together.^[96] Gordon Brown's resignation on 11 May 2010 meant that Cameron was invited by the Queen to form a government^[97] and a coalition with the Liberal Democrats was agreed with Nick Clegg as the Deputy Prime Minister.^[98]

Plans for electoral reform[link]

Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill[link]

On 5 July 2010 Clegg unveiled plans to have fewer MPs and to hold a referendum on the voting system so that the next General Election would be contested under the Alternative Vote system. In a statement, he said UK democracy was "fractured", with some votes counting more than others. As part of the statement he also changed initial plans requiring the number of MPs needed to vote to dissolve Parliament from 55% to 66%. The Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill was presented to parliament on 22 July 2010 for its first reading which if successful would see the date of the referendum on changing the voting system from the current 'first past the post' system to the Alternative Vote (AV) system set for 5 May 2011.^[99][100] The bill also introduced plans to reduce the number of MP's in the House of Commons from 650 to 600 something which the Labour party attacked as gerrymandering as in order to do this there would need to be boundary changes. Clegg told MPs: "Together, these proposals help correct the deep unfairness in the way we hold elections in this country. Under the current set-up, votes count more in some parts of the country than others, and millions feel that their votes don't count at all. Elections are won and lost in a small minority of seats. We have a fractured democracy, where some people's votes count and other people's votes don't count."^[100] On 22 July 2010 the question for the referendum on AV was published asking voters if they wish to "adopt the 'alternative vote' system instead of the current 'first past the post' system" for electing MPs". The question required a yes or no answer.^[101] The Act received Royal Assent on 16 February 2011. The result of the referendum was that the alternative vote proposal was defeated by a margin of 2:1.

Fixed-term Parliaments Bill[link]

Clegg also confirmed that the government planned to introduce legislation for five-year fixed-term parliaments, with elections to be held on the first Thursday in May of the fifth year after the previous general election, starting with 7 May 2015. The corresponding bill was presented to parliament on 22 July 2010 and the Fixed-term Parliaments Act 2011 received Royal Assent on 15 September 2011.

Prime Minister's Questions[link]

Nick Clegg with the Prime Minister of the Netherlands Mark Rutte on 15 November 2010

On 21 July 2010, Clegg became the first Liberal Democrat Leader to answer for Prime Minister's Questions.^[102] He courted controversy during the exchange when at the despatch box he attacked the shadow justice secretary Jack Straw for the decision to invade Iraq saying "perhaps one day you could account for your role in the most disastrous decision of all, which is the illegal invasion of Iraq." Despite having long held views about the issue, the comment was controversial, as it did not reflect the policy of the government which was that the legality of the war in Iraq was currently being studied by the Iraq inquiry.^[103] Clegg next stepped in for prime minister's questions on 8 September 2010 following the news that David Cameron's father had taken very ill. Standing in for the Labour deputy leader Harriet Harman, Jack Straw, this time challenged Clegg on the allegations of phone hacking against Downing Street's director of communications Andy Coulson. Responding, Clegg claimed that the allegations dating from Coulson's time at the News of the World were a matter for the police to investigate.^[104] On 10 November 2010, as David Cameron was making a trade visit to China, Clegg deputised for the third time, meeting Harriet Harman across the despatch box. On a day that coincided with violent student protests against tuition fees in London, the Labour deputy leader chose the same subject to quiz Clegg, accusing him of a U-turn on pledges made before the election. Responding, Clegg accused Harman of trying to re-position the Labour party as the party of students when the party had previously campaigned against fees only to end up introducing them.^[105]