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Nick Clegg puts Lib Dem authority on the line, demanding Lord Rennard apology over 'sexual harassment' he never admitted Nick Clegg puts Lib Dem authority on the line, demanding Lord Rennard apology over 'sexual harassment' he never admitted
(about 1 hour later)
Nick Clegg today put his authority as Liberal Democrat leader on the line demanding his party's peers remove the whip from Lord Rennard until he apologises to the women who claim that he sexually harassed them.Nick Clegg today put his authority as Liberal Democrat leader on the line demanding his party's peers remove the whip from Lord Rennard until he apologises to the women who claim that he sexually harassed them.
Liberal Democrat chief whip Lord Newby and the party's leader in the Upper House, Lord Wallace, are expected to withhold the whip from Lord Rennard if he turns up for this afternoon's sitting in the House of Lords. Liberal Democrat chief whip Lord Newby and the party's leader in
That would almost be appealed by Lord Rennard and thus trigger a vote of the party's peers do decide whether or not to readmit him. the Upper House, Lord Wallace, are expected to withhold the whip
Many Lib Dem peers are sympathetic to the plight of the party's former chief executive and believe he has been unfairly treated by the leadership. from Lord Rennard if he turns up for this afternoon's sitting in
They point out that he has not been found guilty of any charges of sexual harassment by an internal party review and is effectively being asked to apologise for something he has never admitted. the House of Lords.
It is far from clear that they will back Mr Clegg's demand for the whip to be withdrawn. That would almost be appealed by Lord Rennard and thus trigger a
But Mr Clegg made clear that a vote to restore the whip to Lord Rennard would be a challenge his authority and warned "matters would not rest there". vote of the party's peers do decide whether or not to readmit
"Clearly it would be in defiance of basic decency, it would be in defiance of what the independent formal processes have recommended, in defiance of me and in defiance of the president of the party," he said in a round of interviews this morning. him.
He added: "That is why I hope it will not happen this afternoon. Clearly if it were to happen, matters would not rest there." Many Lib Dem peers are sympathetic to the plight of the party's
A number of Lib Dem members have suggested that Lord Rennard's refusal to apologise brings the party into disrepute, which could trigger a new disciplinary process resulting in the whip being suspended. former chief executive and believe he has been unfairly treated by
Lord Rennard won the backing of Lib Dem Euro MP Chris Davies, who and attacked Mr Clegg's handling of the row. the leadership.
Mr Davies told BBC Radio 4's Westminster Hour: "This isn't Jimmy Savile, it is touching someone's leg six years ago, at a meeting, through clothing. They point out that he has not been found guilty of any charges
"This is the equivalent of a few years ago, an Italian man pinching a woman's bottom. How much more must this man be made to suffer through the media condemnation that comes out day after day fed by the party leadership?" of sexual harassment by an internal party review and is effectively
Mr Davies added: "The whole thing has become like the Salem witch trials... A good man has been publicly destroyed through the media with the apparent support of Nick Clegg. being asked to apologise for something he has never admitted.
It is completely out of proportion, nonsense and outrageous." It is far from clear that they will back Mr Clegg's demand for
the whip to be withdrawn.
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But Mr Clegg made clear that a vote to restore the whip to Lord
Rennard would be a challenge his authority and warned "matters
would not rest there".
"Clearly it would be in defiance of basic decency, it would be
in defiance of what the independent formal processes have
recommended, in defiance of me and in defiance of the president of
the party," he said in a round of interviews this morning.
He added: "That is why I hope it will not happen this afternoon.
Clearly if it were to happen, matters would not rest there."
A number of Lib Dem members have suggested that Lord Rennard's
refusal to apologise brings the party into disrepute, which could
trigger a new disciplinary process resulting in the whip being
suspended.
Lord Rennard won the backing of Lib Dem Euro MP Chris Davies,
who and attacked Mr Clegg's handling of the row.
Mr Davies told BBC Radio 4's Westminster Hour: "This isn't Jimmy
Savile, it is touching someone's leg six years ago, at a meeting,
through clothing.
"This is the equivalent of a few years ago, an Italian man
pinching a woman's bottom. How much more must this man be made to
suffer through the media condemnation that comes out day after day
fed by the party leadership?"
Mr Davies added: "The whole thing has become like the Salem
witch trials... A good man has been publicly destroyed through the
media with the apparent support of Nick Clegg.
It is completely out of proportion, nonsense and
outrageous."
Nick Clegg was previously warned he could face a rebellion by Liberal Democrat peers in the House of Lords if he tried to remove the whip from Lord RennardNick Clegg was previously warned he could face a rebellion by Liberal Democrat peers in the House of Lords if he tried to remove the whip from Lord Rennard
Lib Dem peer Lord Carlile, who has been offering legal advice to Lord Rennard, warned during an interview on the Sky News yesterday that the row could escalate. Lib Dem peer Lord Carlile, who has been offering
He said: "Here, we have a situation in which there has been found to be no case against Lord Rennard but he is being lined up against the wall by people who are trying to force him to apologise in a way no lawyer would advise and in which he should not apologise for all kinds of reasons." legal advice to Lord Rennard, warned during an interview on the Sky
He added that if the whip was removed then "the matter could unfortunately end up in the public law courts". News yesterday that the row could escalate.
He added: "Nobody wants that to happen and I don't begin to understand why Nick Clegg has intervened after a process which has been concluded in Lord Rennard's favour" He said: "Here, we have a situation in which there has been
But Mr Clegg told Daybreak there were no grounds for "legal sabre-rattling", because the demand for an apology had not been instituted by him, but was recommended by Mr Webster, who said it was a matter of "common manners". found to be no case against Lord Rennard but he is being lined up
Mr Webster said: "The suggestion that Lord Rennard might wish to apologise was not one I envisaged as being contentious. against the wall by people who are trying to force him to apologise
"I viewed Lord Rennard, from the weight of the evidence submitted, as being someone who would wish to apologise to those whom he had made to feel uncomfortable, even if he had done so inadvertently. I would consider it to be common manners." in a way no lawyer would advise and in which he should not
Asked whether his inability simply to impose his will on the party in the Rennard affair exposed flaws in the Liberal Democrats' internal processes, Mr Clegg said: "I admit that some people sometimes think that, because I'm the leader of a political party, I somehow should act as if I'm the leader of a sect. I'm not. apologise for all kinds of reasons."
"Of course, leadership is partly about direct powers. Leadership is also a process of persuasion and setting out your views." He added that if the whip was removed then "the matter could
Former leader Lord Ashdown backed Mr Clegg and signalled his irritation at Lord Carlile's role. unfortunately end up in the public law courts".
"I fear he is advising Chris Rennard as a lawyer, but not as a friend," he wrote on Twitter. He added: "Nobody wants that to happen and I don't begin to
Lib Dem peer Lord Macdonald, a former director of public prosecutions, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme it was "perfectly reasonable" to ask Lord Rennard to apologise. understand why Nick Clegg has intervened after a process which has
"I don't believe you can cherry-pick. If you are going to accept the primary finding, that Lord Rennard cannot be shown according to the criminal standard of proof, beyond reasonable doubt, to have behaved inappropriately, I believe you also have to accept the secondary conclusion, which is that according to Mr Webster there was broadly credible evidence that he had behaved in a way that violated the personal space of those women. been concluded in Lord Rennard's favour"
"As Mr Webster put it, that he had caused distress and that he should apologise." But Mr Clegg told Daybreak there were no grounds for "legal
sabre-rattling", because the demand for an apology had not been
instituted by him, but was recommended by Mr Webster, who said it
was a matter of "common manners".
Mr Webster said: "The suggestion that Lord Rennard might wish to
apologise was not one I envisaged as being contentious.
"I viewed Lord Rennard, from the weight of the evidence
submitted, as being someone who would wish to apologise to those
whom he had made to feel uncomfortable, even if he had done so
inadvertently. I would consider it to be common manners."
Asked whether his inability simply to impose his will on the
party in the Rennard affair exposed flaws in the Liberal Democrats'
internal processes, Mr Clegg said: "I admit that some people
sometimes think that, because I'm the leader of a political party,
I somehow should act as if I'm the leader of a sect. I'm not.
"Of course, leadership is partly about direct powers. Leadership
is also a process of persuasion and setting out your views."
Former leader Lord Ashdown backed Mr Clegg and signalled his
irritation at Lord Carlile's role.
"I fear he is advising Chris Rennard as a lawyer, but not as a
friend," he wrote on Twitter.
Lib Dem peer Lord Macdonald, a former director of public
prosecutions, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme it was "perfectly
reasonable" to ask Lord Rennard to apologise.
"I don't believe you can cherry-pick. If you are going to accept
the primary finding, that Lord Rennard cannot be shown according to
the criminal standard of proof, beyond reasonable doubt, to have
behaved inappropriately, I believe you also have to accept the
secondary conclusion, which is that according to Mr Webster there
was broadly credible evidence that he had behaved in a way that
violated the personal space of those women.
"As Mr Webster put it, that he had caused distress and that he
should apologise."