Nick Clegg's wife to advise Spanish construction firm

Nick Clegg’s wife, lawyer Miriam Gonzalez Durantez, is to act as an independent adviser to Spanish construction company Acciona, the world’s largest provider of wind farms.

The 42-year-old Spanish-born wife of the Liberal Democrat leader will join the £5bn firm, which has built four wind firms in the UK this year, but has agreed not to be involved in any future projects the company undertakes in the UK.

A spokesman for the deputy prime minister said: “Miriam is working very closely with Sir Gus [O’Donnell, head of the civil service] and the ethics and propriety team to ensure that everything is in order.

“Nick does have an overview of a broad range of domestic policy, but they were all confident that her work did not stray into any of his areas.

“She has had a meeting with them to make sure that there was no overlap or conflict, and this will be constantly monitored.”

The Acciona board of directors said in a statement that her appointment would help their “commitment to international expansion”.