The Liberal Democrats have suspended Lord Chris Rennard following the launch of a new investigation into longstanding sexual harassment allegations. This decision comes after the party received legal advice indicating that a 2013 inquiry into the claims was flawed in several respects.

The allegations, originally brought forward by four women in 2013, accused Rennard, a former chief executive of the party, of abusing his position by inappropriately touching and propositioning them. Although a barrister's report at the time found the women's accounts "broadly credible," it concluded that the evidence was insufficient to prove the allegations beyond a reasonable doubt. Consequently, no further action was taken against Rennard, though he was asked to apologize, which he initially resisted but later did express regret.

Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey has expressed his belief that Rennard should not be a member of the House of Lords, advocating for reforms to make it easier to expel peers for serious misconduct. The party has now suspended Rennard's membership and the Liberal Democrat whip in the House of Lords as it conducts a fresh investigation.

Three of the original complainants, including former deputy party chair Alison Goldsworthy, academic Alison Smith, and Bridget Harris, a former adviser to Nick Clegg, have welcomed the renewed investigation. They view it as a positive step towards ensuring a safer environment for women in politics. The fourth complainant, Susan Gaszczak, resigned from the party in 2014, citing dissatisfaction with the party's handling of the allegations.

In response to his suspension, Rennard pointed to previous investigations by the Metropolitan Police and independent legal reviews, which he claims found no grounds for prosecution. He reiterated his apology for any inadvertent encroachment on personal space, while maintaining that the allegations have been thoroughly investigated in the past.