Post by Focus on Jun 13, 2013 10:31:31 GMT
A humiliated Nick Clegg last night admitted he failed to respond vigorously enough to a series of sexual harassment complaints about his party’s former chief executive.
Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg admitted his party had failed women for 20 years
The Deputy Prime Minister ‘made mistakes’ over the allegations against Lord Rennard, according to a highly critical report into attitudes to women among senior Liberal Democrats.
Mr Clegg conceded that ‘women had been let down’ after the independent report said he should have ‘asked more questions’ when the claims – which Lord Rennard denies – arose five years ago.
There were several missed chances to hold an investigation, the report added.
The inquiry into the wider culture of the Liberal Democrats spanning two decades was launched after the Rennard claims surfaced earlier this year.
Aside from the complaints by four women against the peer, witnesses reported 32 other sexual harassment and discrimination incidents – including one where a male parliamentarian had made inappropiate advances to a very young male worker.
City fund manager Helena Morrissey – who wrote the report – yesterday admitted she was ‘shocked’ at the party’s failure to live up to its ideals of equality and liberty, adding: ‘You have got to practise what you preach’.
Mrs Morrissey, who found evidence of ‘low level sexism’, said: ‘Mistakes were definitely made.
They were made by Nick Clegg, Danny Alexander and Jo Swinson. 'You can make a mistake and learn from them, it’s different from setting out to mislead or to do something wrong.’ But she added: ‘I am not exonerating Nick Clegg.’
A formal inquiry should have immediately been launched by Mr Clegg into the allegations of improper conduct involving Lord Rennard when they were raised by women in 2008, she said.
Mr Clegg said the report made ‘sobering reading’ and said there was ‘no excuse’ for what had happened over 20 years in the party’s corridors of power.
Lord Rennard has strenuously denied acting inappropriately towards women during his time as Lib Dem chief executive
A formal inquiry was triggered by the allegations surrounding Lord Rennard after a meeting in Bangkok in 2010 at this year’s parliamentary pancake race
He added that it illustrated that ‘stretching over a 20-year period a series of mistakes were made which left a number of women feeling seriously let down and for that there is absolutely no excuse whatsoever’.
Mrs Morrissey also singled out Liberal Democrat ministers Jo Swinson and Danny Alexander for adopting an ‘informal’ approach to the complaints which was ‘ultimately not sufficient’.
The inquiry was triggered by the allegations surrounding Lord Rennard but it was widened to include how the party dealt with other complaints of sexism and harassment.
It spanned complaints from up to 20 years ago. Mrs Morrissey said it would not be fair however to hold the party to the same standards for events of decades ago that are expected today.
Her report said former leader Charles Kennedy’s ‘relatively relaxed management style’, compared to his predecessor Lord Ashdown’s, ‘contributed to Chris Rennard’s power base’.
Paul Burstow, the party’s chief whip at the time, was also told of the claims about Lord Rennard in 2008.
But the allegations did not surface publicly until this year, when Channel 4 interviewed two alleged victims.
At the time, the party denied that Mr Clegg had any knowledge of specific allegations about Lord Rennard.
He was also quick to criticise the ‘self appointed detectives’ of the media as newspapers also investigated the potential scandal.
Businesswoman Helena Morrissey said Mr Clegg should have ordered a formal inquiry into allegations of sexual harassment against Lord Rennard
Mrs Morrissey said there had been ‘no malicious attempt’ to cover up the claims but that the way they dealt with them had been ‘haphazard’.
The Deputy Prime Minister had not launched a formal inquiry because he believed the alleged victims had not requested one and wanted to keep their anonymity, she said.
Mr Clegg told the inquiry: ‘The natural course of action had been to challenge Chris [Lord Rennard] in respect of the allegations and this was duly done.
He then denied any wrongdoing and the affair was dropped since none of the complainants wished to … substantiate their allegation.’
Mrs Morrissey admitted she was ‘shocked’ by some of the complaints, such as one Lib Dem councillor aggressively cornering a female staff member.
Mrs Morrissey criticised the ‘tendency for the party to try to “handle” complaints rather than to fully and properly investigate them in a timely, professional manner.’
Scotland Yard is investigating allegations against the peer – who has denied any wrongdoing. Lord Rennard declined to comment.
Mr Clegg said he would implement all the recommendations made in Miss Morrissey’s report ‘without delay’ and had asked her to check on progress in 12 months.
He admitted the party had to do more, adding: ‘We must be a party where even a hint of sexism is taken seriously; where every allegation of harassment is dealt with properly; and where there can be no fear that power or position can be abused.’
Tim Farron, the party president, said the ‘warts and all’ report made ‘uncomfortable reading’.
Mr Farron last night told Channel 4 News that he did not think any of the ministers involved should resign over their failures as the party now had a ‘gold standard’ for how to handle future complaints.
Mrs Morrissey, chief executive of Newton Investment Management and a mother of nine, said she nearly ‘threw in the towel’ on the inquiry when she took one look at the LibDems’ labyrinthine structure.
Her report called for a stronger anti-bullying strategy and a dedicated office to deal with complaints. Activists should also be made to take diversity courses to make them aware of any prejudices, she added.
Several Lib Dem activists told Channel 4 News in February that Lord Rennard had made unwanted advances – claims that he denied.
Although the alleged incidents happened years ago, the complainants came forward after becoming concerned that he was involved in a candidate training event this year.
Mrs Morrissey’s report did not detail the specific allegations about Lord Rennard because they are being investigated by police.
What a shower of fcking cretins we have running this country - there's no wonder Britain is in the sorry state that it's in ffs!! - Fx
