Nick Clegg's wife lambasts 'patronising' media
Tuesday, 13 April 2010 12:00 AM
By politics.co.uk staff
Nick Clegg's wife has hit out at the 'patronising' coverage of politicians' spouses.
The international lawyer has faced considerable scrutiny for not hitting the campaign trail in the same manner as Samantha Cameron and Sarah Brown.
Miriam Gonzalez Durantez holds down a full time job during the week, but joins her husband at weekends to help with the Liberal Democrat campaign.
"It is a bit frivolous, there is an element of frivolity obviously on knowing where your clothes come from," she told ITV's Tonight programme.
"I wouldn't look on it as whether it's frivolous in relation to the women - I think (it) is frivolous in relation to the voters.
"I think that the voters deserve better, deserve more focus on the policies and less on the clothes."
Asked about the media coverage of political spouses, and whether it could be branded 'patronising', she replied: "'Patronising' is putting it very diplomatically."
Her low-profile has been a key part of how Mr Clegg's family respond to the pressures of being so firmly in the media spotlight.
It is entirely at odds with the approach adopted by Sarah Brown, who is the most followed Twitterer in the UK, and Samantha Cameron who could be seen in her home during the early Webcameron videos released on the internet.
Newsletter sign up