Archive: Clegg describes 'comedy of European Parliament' in 1999

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Wednesday 6 May 2015 at 11:31am

Lost in translation: Nick Clegg describes the struggle of keeping up in the European Parliament as an MEP in 1999

More than a decade before becoming Deputy Prime Minister as leader of the Liberal Democrats, Nick Clegg held office as MEP for the East Midlands.

Known for his strong support of Britain's European Union membership, in an appearance on ITV's political programme Around the House, Mr Clegg told how he was described as an "extinguished" politician by a bemused translator.

Quizzed on the merits of the EU by ITV Yorkshire stalwart Geoff Druett and flanked by Labour's Gerry Sutcliffe and John Sykes of the Conservatives, Clegg gives his account of the "comedy of the European Parliament":

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