- Women claimed peer propositioned them and touched them inappropriately
- The party's ex-chief executive and election mastermind denied allegations
- Senior party members had been warned but women claim they didn't act
- Lord Rennard stood down as chief executive in 2009 because of his diabetes
By Gerri Peev
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Allegations: Lord Rennard, the party's ex-chief executive and election mastermind, is alleged to have propositioned female party activists and touched them inappropriately
The Liberal Democrats have been accused of covering up complaints of sexual harassment involving one of the party's most powerful former officials.
Women activists claimed that Lord Rennard, the party's ex-chief executive and election mastermind, propositioned them and touched them inappropriately.
Senior figures in the party had been warned about the complaints but the women involved said they did not act. Lord Rennard has denied he behaved inappropriately towards the women.
Lord Rennard stood down as chief executive in 2009 because of his diabetes.
But he continued to have access to the party's female candidates through its gender balance programmes, and last month attended a training weekend in Bedfordshire for prospective candidates.
One woman, a party candidate who did not want to be identified, said Lord Rennard 'shoved his hand down the back of my dress' during a photoshoot.
She said that at the time he was 'more powerful than the leader'.
The allegations were revealed by Channel 4 News last night.
In a statement, the party said: '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.
Retired: Lord Rennard stood down as chief executive in 2009 because of his diabetes but continued working in the party's gender balance programmes
'An internal investigation into the specific allegations raised by Channel 4 has begun under the Party's disciplinary procedures.'
Lord Rennard's lawyers said he had 'always strived to conduct himself responsibly and appropriately at all times and has no recollection of any inappropriate behaviour.
'In addition, our client is unaware of any complaint about his conduct ever being made against him.'
They added, that in the case of one woman, 'he denies behaving improperly'. In the case of another woman, the lawyers said that he 'is unaware of her having grounds for complaint'.
'In addition, Lord Rennard describes as completely untrue any suggestion that he resigned as chief executive as a result of allegations about inappropriate behaviour.'
Denial: Lord Rennard (right), pictured taking part in the Rehab Pancake Race outside the Houses of Parliament earlier this month, has denied the allegations
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