Liberal Democrat president Tim Farron has admitted the party “screwed up” its response to allegations of improper behaviour by former chief executive Lord Rennard.
After initial denials, the deputy prime minister Nick Clegg last night confirmed his office had heard “indirect and non-specific concerns” as far back as 2008 and had taken action at the time.
In a radio interview yes- terday, he said “no very specific allegations” were put to him until a Channel 4 News investigation last week.
But the Daily Telegraph published a 2010 email exchange with Mr Clegg’s chief of staff Jonny Oates, in which the paper gave details of the dates and locations of four alleged incidents between 2003 and 2007 and made clear it knew the identities of the women who had complained. – (PA)