Gibraltar is Spanish, says Nick Clegg’s wife, as her new party eyes Spain’s election

Miriam González Durántez, the wife of former British deputy prime minister Nick Clegg, has stated that Gibraltar is Spanish during a Spanish TV interview. When asked on the Spanish current affairs programme En boca de todos, she answered, "Yes, of course." However, she admitted that her husband and she avoid discussing the matter at home, with each of them defending their respective positions.

González Durántez, a Spanish lawyer and former European Commission official, is promoting her new center-liberal party called Democracia 21 as an alternative to Spain's two major parties, the governing Socialists (PSOE) and the conservative People's Party (PP). The interview comes just three months after the fence between La Línea de la Concepción and Gibraltar was removed, following a UK-EU treaty signed on July 15.

Approximately 15,000 Spaniards cross the border every day for work, making up roughly half of Gibraltar's workforce. However, the treaty does not resolve the territorial dispute between Britain and Spain. Gibraltar has been under British control since 1713, while Spain has consistently claimed the territory. The 2016 Brexit referendum saw 96% of Gibraltar's voters support remaining in the EU, and the territory is home to around 38,000 people.

Democracia 21 aims to clean up Spanish politics and is open to cross-party deals on issues like housing. The party is set to participate in Spain's next general election by August 2027, giving voters ample time to hear their stance on Gibraltar and other matters.