He is an executive director at the World Economic Forum, and the husband of the newly elected Danish prime minister, Helle Thorning-Schmidt.
His name doesnÂ’t sound very Danish.
No, he is actually from Wales in the UK.
Ummmm, and what is the World Economic Forum?
IÂ’m not sure exactly, but I do know they arrange a huge party for all the political bigwigs in Davos, Switzerland, once a year!
The name sounds familiar Â…
His father, Neil Kinnock, was the leader of the UK opposition party for many years. In 1992, he almost made it to 10 Downing Street as prime minister, but was beaten at the last minute by Mr Zero-personality, John Major, the leader of the Conservative party.
Enough about his dad, what about Stephen?
He studied French and Spanish at Cambridge University, and then took a Masters in European Studies at the elite College of Europe in Brussels, where he met Thorning-Schmidt.
Have the Danes welcomed him?
His reputation here wasnÂ’t helped when the Danish tax-paying public was made aware that he paid taxes on his estimated 1,000,000kr salary in Switzerland instead of here. Considering the far lower tax rate there, whoÂ’d blame him?! After an investigation, Kinnock and Thorning-Schmidt were absolved of any tax evasion, and luckily for Thorning-Schmidt, the case seemed to have been forgotten by the voting public before the Danish election.
Is he gay?
Well, a Swedish newspaper did suggest that he may prefer Lars Løkke Rasmussen to Pia Kjærsgaard, if you know what I mean. These rumours have been denied by Thorning-Schmidt as “ludicrous”. As has another rumour: that the couple is getting divorced.
HowÂ’s his Danish?
Actually, he speaks remarkably good Danish. He was on the TV show ‘Go’aften Denmark’ just before the election, but he seemed very nervous – and who’d have blamed him: if he’s not evading taxes, he’s cavorting with men or filing his divorce papers!
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