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| Peer accused of sexual harassment elected to Lib Dem ruling body | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Chris Rennard, the Lib Dem peer who was accused of sexual harassment by four women, has been elected to the party’s ruling body in a move that has already prompted pleas for party leader Tim Farron to intervene. | Chris Rennard, the Lib Dem peer who was accused of sexual harassment by four women, has been elected to the party’s ruling body in a move that has already prompted pleas for party leader Tim Farron to intervene. |
| Rennard, who has always denied any wrongdoing, was voted on to the Lib Dem federal executive by the party’s fellow peers. | Rennard, who has always denied any wrongdoing, was voted on to the Lib Dem federal executive by the party’s fellow peers. |
| It is understood Farron is not planning to speak out against the development, despite having said during his leadership campaign that he would not be appointing Rennard to any position of power. | It is understood Farron is not planning to speak out against the development, despite having said during his leadership campaign that he would not be appointing Rennard to any position of power. |
| Related: Call to bar Lord Rennard from Liberal Democrat group in House of Lords | Related: Call to bar Lord Rennard from Liberal Democrat group in House of Lords |
| The controversy over Rennard, the party’s former chief executive, engulfed the Lib Dems for more than a year. | The controversy over Rennard, the party’s former chief executive, engulfed the Lib Dems for more than a year. |
| After lengthy inquiries, Rennard apologised if he inadvertently made the women feel uncomfortable, but he has always categorically denied allegations of sexually inappropriate behaviour. | After lengthy inquiries, Rennard apologised if he inadvertently made the women feel uncomfortable, but he has always categorically denied allegations of sexually inappropriate behaviour. |
| A QC-led investigation said there was insufficient evidence for him to face disciplinary action over allegations of inappropriate touching, and a subsequent inquiry into whether he had brought the party into disrepute by criticising its handling of the matter was dropped. | A QC-led investigation said there was insufficient evidence for him to face disciplinary action over allegations of inappropriate touching, and a subsequent inquiry into whether he had brought the party into disrepute by criticising its handling of the matter was dropped. |
| Two of the women involved, Bridget Harris – a former adviser to Nick Clegg – and Susan Gaszczak, a former councillor, resigned from the party when his suspension was lifted in 2014. | Two of the women involved, Bridget Harris – a former adviser to Nick Clegg – and Susan Gaszczak, a former councillor, resigned from the party when his suspension was lifted in 2014. |
| It is understood at least one prominent female Lib Dem is poised to resign over Rennard’s election to the executive and several have pleaded with Farron to intercede or at least publicly condemn the decision. | It is understood at least one prominent female Lib Dem is poised to resign over Rennard’s election to the executive and several have pleaded with Farron to intercede or at least publicly condemn the decision. |
| A Lib Dem spokesman said: “This was an internal election to find a representative from the Liberal Democrat group in the House of Lords to sit on the party’s federal executive. Any Liberal Democrat peer was eligible to stand for the position and any Liberal Democrat peer was able to cast a vote in the election.” | A Lib Dem spokesman said: “This was an internal election to find a representative from the Liberal Democrat group in the House of Lords to sit on the party’s federal executive. Any Liberal Democrat peer was eligible to stand for the position and any Liberal Democrat peer was able to cast a vote in the election.” |