Lord Rennard accused of bring Lib Dems into 'disrepute'
Lord Rennard has always denied the allegations Lib Dem peer Lord Rennard is bringing his party into disrepute by refusing to apologise over claims of sexual harassment, a former special adviser to party leader Nick Clegg has said.
Bridget Harris, one of four party activists who made the allegations, which he denies, said an internal inquiry concluded he should apologise.
But his legal adviser, Lord Carlile, said that would be "quite wrong".
"There has been found to be no case against Lord Rennard," he said.
The peer resigned the party whip last year amid claims he had made unwanted sexual advances to several women and touched them inappropriately.
An internal inquiry into the claims last week concluded there was broadly credible evidence dating back several years of "behaviour which violated the personal space and autonomy of the complainants".
'Absolute mess'But it concluded that allegations of sexual misconduct could not be proven beyond reasonable doubt, as the party's internal disciplinary procedures required.
Nick Clegg said the whip should not be restored unless the peer apologised Mr Clegg has said the whip should not be restored to Lord Rennard until he apologises. However, party rules dictate that it is for peers to decide whether to welcome him back and he is reportedly due to have the whip restored on Monday.
Ms Harris, who has quit the party,, told the Observer the episode was a "classic Lib Dem fudge".
In an interview with the BBC, she explained: "The QC who reviewed the evidence extensively over the last couple of months actually concluded that he thought that the evidence we put forward was credible.
"It clearly did show that Lord Rennard had caused myself and the other women distress and that we were owed at the very least an apology.
"The question is, has Lord Rennard brought the party into disrepute?
"I think that everybody accepts that the Lib Dems are in an absolute mess about this and whatever the accepted definition of disrepute is, I think that we've achieved it."
'Completely arbitrary'Party officials are reportedly considering a new disciplinary process over disrepute claims from within the party, with Lord Rennard facing suspension again until it is complete.
Alistair Webster QC, who led the original internal inquiry, said: "I viewed Lord Rennard, from the weight of the evidence submitted, as being someone who would wish to apologise to those whom he had made to feel uncomfortable, even if he had done so inadvertently."
He said: "I would consider it to be common manners. Similarly, given the evidence, I would expect that Lord Rennard would wish (as I would wish, in a similar position), to reflect upon that which appears to have caused distress. I cannot see either suggestion as contentious."
But Lord Carlile told Sky news: "I think it would be quite wrong for Lord Rennard to apologise."
He argued: "Here we have a situation in which there has been found to be no case against Lord Rennard but he's being lined up against the wall by people who are trying to force him to apologise in a way no lawyer would advise.
"I was present when Lord Rennard told the Liberal Democrat Chief Whip in the Lords, Lord Newby, that he was returning to the whip, I was present when it was accepted, they shook hands and that was understood.
"Three or four days later, we have a press release from the leader of the party suggesting some kind of completely arbitrary procedure, which the party's rules don't provide for and which indeed no human resources department in any office up and down the country would regard as anything other than inappropriate and totally arbitrary.
"Nick Clegg should have kept an entirely neutral position in this matter, from beginning to end."
The peer warned that Lord Rennard would consider taking legal action against the party if the whip was not reinstated on Monday.
'Further division'Meanwhile, Channel 4 News revealed a Facebook message in which Lord Rennard said he had considered offering an apology.
He wrote: "I tried to make/consider an apology years ago, but was totally rebuffed by the complainants. One accepted then reneged!
"An appeal and further legal actions are threatened, so I could not apologise in any event even if justified (which it is not).
"It would damage the women and the party much more if I said any more." The post has since been deleted.
BBC political correspondent Iain Watson said Mr Clegg was facing the prospect of further division in the run-up to his party's spring conference and difficult European elections.
The party leader has already said Lord Rennard will not have any role in the party's 2015 election campaign.
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