The Rennard situation is deeply depressing to witness, even for a former member of the Liberal Democrats. What is so disheartening is that the right of women in the party to feel safe, supported and taken seriously is something I and many others tried to address for years with little progress being made.
The problems of allegations of abuses of power are not confined to the Lib Dems, and within the Lib Dems they are not confined to Lord Rennard. Allegations of improper behaviour were made against Mike Hancock MP. He resigned the Lib Dem whip in the Commons but still sits as a Lib Dem councillor in Portsmouth. The allegations are serious and are politically very difficult - all the more reason to deal with them face-on without any kind of fudge. That has not happened.
As for Nick Clegg, these issues again make clear his lack of a liberal compass. I am sure he cares about equality, but not enough to make difficult choices about his own appointments or the structures of power in the party and the country. If liberals aren't about resisting abuses of power then what are they for?
Jo Shaw, 2010 Lib-Dem parliamentary candidate for Holborn & St Pancras
The outcome of the Lib Dems' recent internal investigation is clear: whatever the result of arguments about standard of proof, it seems that the party simply can't control itself.
Lib Dems having made unwanted advances at the last election, the voters concerned should now do the right thing and apologise to all who have suffered as a result of their actions.
Simon Deeble, E14
