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| Lib Dems appoint whistleblowing charity following harassment claims | |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| The Liberal Democrats have moved to get a grip on the mounting chaos over accusations of sexual harassment in the party, announcing the appointment of a charity to advise on whistleblowing after admitting they previously "screwed up". | |
| The independent whistleblower group Public Concern at Work will deal with any complaints by party workers, as well as helping anyone who wants to come forward with specific complaints about the behaviour of Lord Rennard, who has been accused of inappropriately touching several women while working in senior positions in the party. | The independent whistleblower group Public Concern at Work will deal with any complaints by party workers, as well as helping anyone who wants to come forward with specific complaints about the behaviour of Lord Rennard, who has been accused of inappropriately touching several women while working in senior positions in the party. |
| The party's chief executive, Tim Gordon, announced on Monday that he had appointed Alistair Webster QC, a senior Liberal Democrat, to lead the formal internal investigation under the party's disciplinary rules into the specific allegations made about Rennard's behaviour. | The party's chief executive, Tim Gordon, announced on Monday that he had appointed Alistair Webster QC, a senior Liberal Democrat, to lead the formal internal investigation under the party's disciplinary rules into the specific allegations made about Rennard's behaviour. |
| Webster has been a recorder of the crown court since 1991 and a QC since 1995. He is a former chairman of the Liberal Democrat Lawyers Association. | Webster has been a recorder of the crown court since 1991 and a QC since 1995. He is a former chairman of the Liberal Democrat Lawyers Association. |
| Gordon said: "I am confident Alistair has the right skills and expertise to lead a team that will fully investigate the allegations made in a fair and thorough manner." He said there would be four other members of the panel, including three women. | Gordon said: "I am confident Alistair has the right skills and expertise to lead a team that will fully investigate the allegations made in a fair and thorough manner." He said there would be four other members of the panel, including three women. |
| "We will shortly be announcing an independent chair for the investigation into the party's own handling of the case and to examine how allegations made in the past have been handled," Gordon said. | "We will shortly be announcing an independent chair for the investigation into the party's own handling of the case and to examine how allegations made in the past have been handled," Gordon said. |
| The Liberal Democrat leader, Nick Clegg, insists he has nothing to hide over his admission that he had been aware of concerns about sexual harassment by a senior party figure more than four years ago because "no very specific allegations" were put to him. | The Liberal Democrat leader, Nick Clegg, insists he has nothing to hide over his admission that he had been aware of concerns about sexual harassment by a senior party figure more than four years ago because "no very specific allegations" were put to him. |
| Clegg's comments came as Tim Farron, the party's president, admitted: "We screwed this up," when he was questioned on BBC Radio 4's Today programme about the party's handling of the issue. | Clegg's comments came as Tim Farron, the party's president, admitted: "We screwed this up," when he was questioned on BBC Radio 4's Today programme about the party's handling of the issue. |
| Farron said: "That is something that we have to learn from, apologise for and make sure it never happens again." | Farron said: "That is something that we have to learn from, apologise for and make sure it never happens again." |
| The deputy prime minister has faced criticism after Lib Dem officials spent three days insisting he had not known about complaints over the behaviour of Rennard, the former party chief executive and strategist, which were made on Channel 4 News on Thursday. | The deputy prime minister has faced criticism after Lib Dem officials spent three days insisting he had not known about complaints over the behaviour of Rennard, the former party chief executive and strategist, which were made on Channel 4 News on Thursday. |
| Clegg said on Sunday he had been made aware of "indirect and non-specific concerns" in 2008, prompting questions about why he did not launch a full investigation at the time. | Clegg said on Sunday he had been made aware of "indirect and non-specific concerns" in 2008, prompting questions about why he did not launch a full investigation at the time. |
| But he insisted on Monday he had acted appropriately at the time given the level of information available to him. | But he insisted on Monday he had acted appropriately at the time given the level of information available to him. |
| "We'll obviously now have to look at this very carefully," he told BBC Radio Solent. "I have got absolutely nothing to hide, why would I? … The problem is … that until last week no very specific allegations were put to me. We acted on general concerns which had been expressed some time ago." | "We'll obviously now have to look at this very carefully," he told BBC Radio Solent. "I have got absolutely nothing to hide, why would I? … The problem is … that until last week no very specific allegations were put to me. We acted on general concerns which had been expressed some time ago." |
| Clegg responded to the "general concerns" by asking Danny Alexander, the then chief of staff and now chief secretary to the Treasury, to talk to Rennard and warn him that such behaviour would be "wholly unacceptable". He said Rennard denied he had behaved inappropriately and continued to do so. | Clegg responded to the "general concerns" by asking Danny Alexander, the then chief of staff and now chief secretary to the Treasury, to talk to Rennard and warn him that such behaviour would be "wholly unacceptable". He said Rennard denied he had behaved inappropriately and continued to do so. |
| Clegg said the women making the allegations against Rennard had at the time wanted to have their names and details protected. "It's only last week that these general concerns evolved into something specific which we can act on and which we will." | Clegg said the women making the allegations against Rennard had at the time wanted to have their names and details protected. "It's only last week that these general concerns evolved into something specific which we can act on and which we will." |
| He said one of the women had worked in his office and was very close to him but "never said a word to me". | He said one of the women had worked in his office and was very close to him but "never said a word to me". |
| "I can't rewrite history, I wasn't given any specific allegations directly … including from someone who worked with me directly … I have got nothing to hide, the party has nothing to hide," he said. | "I can't rewrite history, I wasn't given any specific allegations directly … including from someone who worked with me directly … I have got nothing to hide, the party has nothing to hide," he said. |
| Clegg said he expected the independent investigation into how the allegations were handled would reveal that "some [party] procedures were flawed". The investigation was to have been led by Farron but, after growing criticism, the Lib Dem leader said it would be chaired independently. | Clegg said he expected the independent investigation into how the allegations were handled would reveal that "some [party] procedures were flawed". The investigation was to have been led by Farron but, after growing criticism, the Lib Dem leader said it would be chaired independently. |
| Farron said: "The one thing I probably can tell you without going through due process is that we screwed this up as a party. There are individuals out there who we had a duty of care towards and we did not fulfil that duty of care. That is something that we have to learn from, apologise for and make sure it never happens again." | Farron said: "The one thing I probably can tell you without going through due process is that we screwed this up as a party. There are individuals out there who we had a duty of care towards and we did not fulfil that duty of care. That is something that we have to learn from, apologise for and make sure it never happens again." |
| Farron said he first heard a "general rumour" about a year ago "but no specifics, not even who or what or when or anything. In my job you come across quite a lot of gossip and it is difficult to know how you separate out general unspecific gossip from specific complaints. That is why we, as a party, with independent help and with real rigour, are now going to look at ourselves." | Farron said he first heard a "general rumour" about a year ago "but no specifics, not even who or what or when or anything. In my job you come across quite a lot of gossip and it is difficult to know how you separate out general unspecific gossip from specific complaints. That is why we, as a party, with independent help and with real rigour, are now going to look at ourselves." |