Nick Clegg’s wife denies putting pressure on him to act against Lord Rennard
NICK Clegg’s wife yesterday rejected claims she had forced her husband to take a tough stance over sex harassment allegations against Lord Rennard.
Reports suggested that Miriam Gonzalez Durantez put pressure on the Deputy Prime Minister to demand an apology to the alleged victims from the scandal-hit Lib Dem peer.
But during a visit to a school yesterday, she rubbished the claims.
“It is a complete fabrication. I don’t even know the women,” she said. “I’m the kind of woman who doesn’t influence in the shadows. If I ever wanted to say something I would say that openly.”
Speaking on his LBC radio show, her husband admitted the way the Lib Dems had dealt with groping allegations was “not ideal”.
Mr Clegg also rejected the suggestions about his wife’s involvement in the row: “It’s total garbage, it is a complete work of fiction,” he said.
He repeated his call for an apology from Lord Rennard over allegations of inappropriate behaviour towards Lib Dem candidates and admitted his party’s failure to react.
He added: “It is quite clear that when the women were first caused this distress...the party did not react, the alarm bells did not go off, and there weren’t procedures, and that’s what I’ve apologised to them for in person, and publicly.”
Lord Rennard’s allies last night appealed to the leadership to enter mediation and avoid a damaging court battle.One friend warned: “He [Rennard] doesn’t want legal action, but the clocking is ticking.”