Lord Rennard: Lib Dem peer accused of sexual harassment stands down from party’s governing body

Tim Farron said the peer occupying his role would not be ‘in the best interests of the party’ following members’ outcry

Lord Rennard's appointment to the Federal Executive Committee was vehemently opposed (Getty Images)

Lord Rennard, the Lib Dem peer who was accused of sexual harassment, has stood down from the party’s governing body following outcry among members.

His resignation came immediately after party leader, Tim Farron, issued a statement warning it would not be in the “the best interests of the party” for him to take up the post.

His appointment to the Federal Executive Committee, after an election by Lid Dems in the House of Lords, was vehemently opposed by many within the party, and led to calls for a Special Conference aimed at curbing the power of the Lib Dem’s unelected peers.

In his statement, Mr Farron said such a conference would divert “time, energy and resource” away from the party’s “growing fightback” and its Oldham by-election campaign.

Saying that the party needed “unity”, he added: “Chris [Rennard] serving on the FE is not in our best interest, as the levels of anger and division have shown”.

Lord Rennard later announced his decision to “withdraw” from the FE, but criticised the party for “very poor” communication to members about the outcomes of a series of investigations that determined there were no grounds for further action against him over accusations of sexual harassment from party members.