An independent panel has concluded that there will be no further inquiry into historical sexual harassment allegations against Liberal Democrat peer Chris Rennard, following a review into claims that an original investigation was flawed. Party leader Ed Davey stated that he was deeply disappointed and upset by the outcome.
The Liberal Democrats had asked three independent adjudicators, who are party members, to reassess the conduct of the 66-year-old peer after receiving advice indicating that a 2013 investigation into claims made by four women was flawed in several respects. However, after taking legal advice, the panel determined that without new evidence, the case could not be legally reopened. Chris Rennard, a former chief executive of the party who was awarded a life peerage in 1999, has maintained that the original claims were thoroughly investigated and dismissed.
Reactions to the Panel Decision
Ed Davey expressed his frustration regarding the panel’s conclusion, noting that the women who originally made the complaints were let down by a flawed investigation 13 years ago. Davey previously suspended Rennard from the party after the inquiry was reopened earlier this year, though he does not possess the power to remove the peer from the House of Lords or strip him of his party membership entirely. Davey expressed confidence that the current complaints system would handle modern complaints in a significantly more reliable manner.
The four original claimants are former deputy party chair Alison Goldsworthy, academic Alison Smith, Bridget Harris (a former adviser to Nick Clegg), and former councillor Susan Gaszczak. A 2013 review led by senior lawyer Alistair Webster KC concluded there was a less than 50% chance of the case being proved beyond a reasonable doubt, though it noted broadly credible evidence of behaviour that violated the personal space and autonomy of the complainants. Police and independent inquiries over a 17-month period in 2013 and 2014 previously concluded that allegations against Rennard could not be proved, and the peer has stated he apologises if he inadvertently encroached on anyone’s personal space.
Response from Chris Rennard
In his statement reported by The Guardian, Chris Rennard argued that the complaint should be published in full, asserting that it proved the reopened investigation should never have taken place. He stated that the large volume of evidence leading Alistair Webster KC to dismiss the complaints remained confidential and that the appeal by unsuccessful complainants had previously been dismissed by an appeals panel. Rennard criticised the party for taking nine months to dismiss the complaint, describing the process as unfairly damaging to himself and his wife. His solicitor, Richard Cannon, added that the renewed complaint had been legally flawed from the outset.
Source: Panel rules out further inquiry into sexual harassment claims against Lib Dem peer Chris Rennard (source-feed timestamp 2026-11-03T18:03:07+00:00). AI-assisted report based on the cited linked article and its RSS feed; details were not independently verified.
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