sexual harassment

via guardian.co.uk Nick Clegg has ordered an urgent review into how the Liberal Democratshave investigated "allegations of sexual impropriety" in the past after claims against a leading party official emerged. Lord Christopher Rennard, the party's former election strategist, was accused of inappropriately touching and propositioning a number of women who worked for the party over a period of years on Channel 4News. Several women who worked for the Lib Dems alleged on the programme that before he stood down as the party's chief executive in 2009 he made unwanted advances at them, but when they reported it to party MPs including the chief whip, little action was taken to investigate their claims. Lord Rennard, 52, issued a statement saying he strongly disputed the allegations and branded the report a "total distortion of his character". He announced he would "temporarily stand aside" from the Lib Dem group in the House of Lords "to seek to avoid any embarrassment to the party" and withdraw from its federal policy committee, which writes the party's election manifestos. A Lib Dem spokesman said that the party "will not tolerate harassment" and that a group organised by party president Tim Farron had met tonight to review its procedures. "In view of the serious allegations put to us by Channel 4 and the concerns raised about how such issues have been handled in the past, Nick Clegg has asked Tim Farron, the party president, to establish an immediate review into all our procedures for dealing with these issues, including a thorough examination of how allegations made in the past have been handled," he said. "An internal investigation into the specific allegations raised by Channel 4 has begun under the party's disciplinary procedures. "There are a number of questions that have been raised and our reviews will ensure we properly address all of them." Liverpool-born Rennard is credited with several political successes, directing the Lib Dem's general election campaigns in 2001 and 2005, as well as masterminding 12 byelection victories, including Eastleigh for David Chidgey in 1994. He was chief executive for six years from 2003 until he stepped down six years later on health grounds. But he remained an active member of the Lib-Dems in the House of Lords. Bridget Harris, a former special advisor, was among those who made allegations. She claimed on Channel 4 News that the peer behaved in a sexually inappropriate manner towards her over coffee at a conference in 2003 in Swansea, touching her legs and inviting her to his room. Alison Smith, now a politics lecturer at Oxford University, accused the peer of touching her and a friend at a party at his house six years ago. She claimed she told Paul Burstow, then the Lib-Dem chief whip, and Jo Swinson, the party's spokeswoman for women and equality – now minister for women and equalities – who pledged to investigate. Lord Rennard's lawyers issued a statement on his behalf, saying he strongly disputed the allegations. "Lord Rennard is deeply shocked by and strongly disputes the allegations made against him in the Channel Four News broadcast on 21 February. He regards the report as a total distortion of his character," it said. "Not a single complaint of misconduct was made against him to his knowledge during the 27 years he worked for the Liberal Democrat party. Despite the claim made by one woman in the report, Lord Rennard continued working closely with her for 10 years after the alleged event described."