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Lord Rennard row: Bridget Harris hints at legal action against peer Lord Rennard row: Bridget Harris hints at legal action against peer
(35 minutes later)
A woman who says she was harassed by Lord Rennard has refused to rule out taking legal action against the peer.A woman who says she was harassed by Lord Rennard has refused to rule out taking legal action against the peer.
Bridget Harris, who worked as an adviser to the Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg before quitting the party, told BBC Radio 4's The World Tonight programme that she would not rule out future legal action, and said she was “taking the process one step at a time”. Bridget Harris, who worked as an adviser to the Deputy Prime
"In terms of civil action”, she said, “how can I possibly say that I, what I would or wouldn't do, depending on the circumstances?" Minister Nick Clegg before quitting the party, told BBC Radio 4's The World Tonight programme that she would not rule out
Lord Rennard was suspended by the Lib Dems after he refused to apologise over the harassment claims. The former Lib Dem chief executive has said he would not say sorry for something he had not done as it could leave him "defenceless" in any future civil action. future legal action, and said she was “taking the process one step
He is now thought to be considering whether to mount a legal challenge to the decision to strip him of the party whip in the House of Lords. at a time”.
His refusal to back down came after Mr Clegg told him he would not be allowed to sit on the Liberal Democrat benches unless he apologised. Minutes before the Lords was due to hold its first session, it was announced Lord Rennard was being suspended from the party and would face a fresh disciplinary investigation for bringing the party into disrepute by refusing to apologise. "In terms of civil action”, she said, “how can I possibly say
Nick Clegg was warned he would face a rebellion by Liberal Democrat peers in the House of Lords if he tried to remove the whip from Lord Rennard that I, what I would or wouldn't do, depending on the
circumstances?"
Meanwhile, Lib Dem peer Lord Greaves said the situation was a "nightmare" and called for a South African-style "reconciliation and mediation" system to bring both sides together. Lord Rennard was suspended by the Lib Dems after he refused to
He told BBC 2's Newsnight: "We're being told that Lord Rennard may be taking legal action, Bridget Harris says she may be taking legal action. This is a nightmare." apologise over the harassment claims. The former Lib Dem chief
"It's doing a lot of damage and it is getting worse by the day. executive has said he would not say sorry for something he had not
"The real problem is that the leadership of the party, broadly defined, not just Nick Clegg, have taken action which actually has rebounded and made matters worse." done as it could leave him "defenceless" in any future civil
Lord Rennard said he was "enormously distressed" by the situation and claimed there was a "lynch mob mentality" from some in the party in a statement released on Monday. action.
Claims made within the party about him during the general election had led to him considering "self harm", his 2,600 word statement revealed. He is now thought to be considering whether to mount a legal
"Courtesy has always been an essential part of my moral compass”, he said. challenge to the decision to strip him of the party whip in the
"If ever I have hurt, embarrassed or upset anyone, then it would never have been my intention and, of course, I regret that they may have felt any hurt, embarrassment or upset. But for the reasons given, I will not offer an apology to the four women complainants. I do not believe that people should be forced to say what they know they should not say, or do not mean." House of Lords.
A spokesman for Lord Rennard described the committee's decision as "extraordinary" and said the peer was "taking legal advice with a view to civil action against the party". His
"He does not wish to see legal action between fellow Liberal Democrats, but his membership of the party matters more to him than anything apart from family and friends," the spokesman added. "Indeed he feels that the party is also his family. refusal to back down came after Mr Clegg told him he would not
"He believes that the suspension of his membership announced this morning should be lifted, that the party should now give him the report to which he is entitled and that Liberal Democrats should act in the best spirits of the party that he joined as a teenager. be allowed to sit on the Liberal Democrat benches unless he
apologised. Minutes before the Lords was due to hold its first
session, it was announced Lord Rennard was being suspended from the
party and would face a fresh disciplinary investigation for
bringing the party into disrepute by refusing to apologise.
Meanwhile, Lib Dem peer Lord Greaves said the situation was a
"nightmare" and called for a South African-style "reconciliation
and mediation" system to bring both sides together.
He told BBC 2's Newsnight: "We're being told that Lord Rennard may be
taking legal action, Bridget Harris says she may be taking legal
action. This is a nightmare."
"It's doing a lot of damage and it is getting worse by the
day.
"The real problem is that the leadership of the party, broadly
defined, not just Nick Clegg, have taken action which actually has
rebounded and made matters worse."
Lord Rennard said he was "enormously distressed" by the
situation and claimed there was a "lynch mob mentality" from some
in the party in a
statement released on Monday.
Claims made within the party about him during the general
election had led to him considering "self harm", his 2,600 word
statement revealed.
"Courtesy has always been an essential part of my moral compass”,
he said.
"If ever I have hurt, embarrassed or upset anyone, then it would
never have been my intention and, of course, I regret that they may
have felt any hurt, embarrassment or upset. But for the reasons
given, I will not offer an apology to the four women complainants.
I do not believe that people should be forced to say what they know
they should not say, or do not mean."
A spokesman for Lord Rennard described the committee's decision
as "extraordinary" and said the peer was "taking legal advice with
a view to civil action against the party".
"He does not wish to see legal action between fellow Liberal
Democrats, but his membership of the party matters more to him than
anything apart from family and friends," the spokesman added.
"Indeed he feels that the party is also his family.
"He believes that the suspension of his membership announced
this morning should be lifted, that the party should now give him
the report to which he is entitled and that Liberal Democrats
should act in the best spirits of the party that he joined as a
teenager.
Additional reporting by Press Association UK News in PicturesAdditional reporting by Press Association UK News in Pictures