Contributor(s): Nick Clegg MP | Nick Clegg is Deputy Prime Minister. Nick Clegg was born in Buckinghamshire in 1967, the third of four siblings. He studied Social Anthropology at Cambridge and continued his post-graduate education at the University of Minnesota and the College of Europe in Bruges. After a brief spell in journalism, Nick worked on international aid programmes and trade policy at the European Commission. He was elected MEP for the East Midlands in 1999 and served as Trade and Industry spokesman for the European Liberal Democrat and Reform group until his decision to step down from the European Parliament to focus on domestic politics in 2004. Nick has contributed to a large number of articles and books, including on education, European Union reform, and trade liberalisation. He worked as a business consultant and part time university lecturer before his election as MP for Sheffield Hallam in 2005. In Parliament, Nick served as the Liberal Democrat Spokesperson on Europe (2005-6), Shadow Home Secretary (2006-7) before becoming Leader in 2007. In May 2010 Nick Clegg became Deputy Prime Minister and Lord President of the Council in the coalition government. Tony Travers is Director of LSE London and a visiting professor at the Department of Government at LSE.