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| Lord Rennard has suspension from Lib Dems lifted | Lord Rennard has suspension from Lib Dems lifted |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Lord Rennard has had the suspension of his membership of the Liberal Democrats lifted after disciplinary proceedings against him were dropped. | Lord Rennard has had the suspension of his membership of the Liberal Democrats lifted after disciplinary proceedings against him were dropped. |
| The former Lib Dem chief executive was suspended after being accused of bringing the party's name into disrepute for failing to apologise over sexual harassment claims. | |
| He apologised in May for his behaviour. | |
| A Liberal Democrat spokesman said the dropping of disciplinary proceedings had now brought the matter to a close. | |
| A party inquiry into the allegations by an independent figure, Alistair Webster QC, had said there should be no further action but Lord Rennard was told in March to apologise - something he initially refused to do. | |
| Some Lib Dem members then complained that his response had brought the party's name into disrepute. | |
| By-election victories | |
| Lord Rennard challenged his suspension from the Lib Dems, saying it was against party rules. | |
| A Liberal Democrat spokesperson said: "The Regional Parties Committee met this week to consider whether the party had been brought into disrepute by statements made by Lord Rennard, or on his behalf, following the publication of Alistair Webster's conclusions. | |
| "It decided not to proceed with the disciplinary process against him. This brings the matter to a close and means the suspension of his membership is lifted." | |
| Lord Rennard masterminded a series of by-election victories for the party over the course of 20 years. | |
| The party's president, Tim Farron, said: "The Liberal Democrats have worked hard in the last 18 months to fundamentally change the way our party treats these matters." | |
| He said the party had changed its "rules and codes of conduct at every level, from grassroots members to parliamentarians so that everyone involved in the party is aware of their rights and responsibilities". |