"The Liberal Democrat peer Chris Rennard has been suspended from the party amid a new investigation into sexual harassment allegations. The party said it had received advice that a 2013 inquiry into the claims made by four women against Lord Rennard was flawed in several respects. The Lib Dem leader, Ed Davey, believes Rennard, 65, should not be a member of the House of Lords, the party added."
"In turn, Rennard, a former chief executive of the party who was awarded a life peerage in 1999, pointed to a series of investigations by police and lawyers that had concluded the allegations against him could not be proven. He previously said he was sorry if he had inadvertently encroached upon anyone's personal space. Three of the women involved in the original claim welcomed the move as the first signs of change by the party."
"The former deputy party chair Alison Goldsworthy, the academic Alison Smith, and Bridget Harris, a former adviser to Nick Clegg, issued a joint statement in the wake of the developments. They said: We decided to speak out in 2013 so that future generations of women could participate in politics safely. We did not expect a fair investigation to take so long and hope that the next steps will finally put the matter to rest. The fourth complainant, the former councillor Susan Gaszczak, resigned from the party in 2014 after the original investigation. She said at the time she could no longer remain a member of a party that feels it acceptable for the then chief executive to invite me to his hotel room to advance my political career."
Chris Rennard has been suspended from the Liberal Democrats while the party conducts a new investigation into sexual harassment allegations. The party received legal advice that the 2013 inquiry into claims by four women against Rennard was flawed in several respects. Lib Dem leader Ed Davey stated he believes Rennard should not remain a member of the House of Lords. Rennard cited prior police and legal inquiries that found the allegations could not be proven and said he was sorry if he had inadvertently encroached on anyone's personal space. Three complainants welcomed the party's action and a fourth resigned in 2014.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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