Nick Clegg’s wife says Gibraltar is Spanish, not British

Miriam González Durántez, wife of former UK deputy prime minister Nick Clegg, said Gibraltar is Spanish while promoting a new political party ahead of Spain’s general election. Her remarks highlight the enduring sovereignty dispute, while she said she and her husband hold different views and avoid discussing the issue.

Gibraltar was ceded to Britain in 1713, but Spain has continued to claim it; the British Overseas Territory has about 38,000 residents. A UK-EU treaty signed in 2025 removed the physical border and eased crossings after Brexit, important for Gibraltar’s economy and the roughly 15,000 Spaniards who commute there for work. The territory voted overwhelmingly to remain in the EU in 2016, and some visitors from outside the Schengen area face biometric checks under the EU Entry-Exit System.