Claim fa86b0ebChecked 09 Jul 2026
FalseOn the truth scale
“The idea that the UK would now be the 51st State is something that Nick Clegg puts up occasionally.”
Interpreted asidiom
“Nick Clegg occasionally raises the idea that the UK would now be the 51st State.”
Reasoning & Evidence09 Jul 2026
The public record I found does not support attributing the "51st state" line to Nick Clegg. The exact wording appears in a 2010 Independent article by Sir Menzies Campbell, who wrote that Britain might end up "acting like the 51st state of the union." (the-independent.com) By contrast, Nick Clegg’s documented speeches on the UK-US extradition issue in Hansard focus on reciprocity, probable cause, and the treaty’s imbalance; they do not use this "51st state" framing. (hansard.parliament.uk) So the claim misattributes the idea to Clegg. Sources: The Independent (Menzies Campbell article); UK Parliament Hansard (Nick Clegg extradition debates).
From article
That is something that Nick Clegg puts up occasionally, but it is not something that any of us desire or want at all. Our relationship with America – you know, we can choose. We can choose whether or not we sign extradition treaties or go to war. What we’re doing with Euope is giving away the ability to make those decisions.
Sources opened+ 176 search hits considered
| [1] | hansard.parliament.uk |
| [2] | hansard.parliament.uk |
| [3] | the-independent.com |