The Lib Dems’ answer to Harvey Weinstein, Lord Rennard, has been out on the campaign trail with them yet again – despite leader Jo Swinson previously calling for him to be kicked out of the party. The noxious Rennard has been embroiled in one of the Lib Dems’ most long-running scandals since over 40 separate sexual harassment claims from multiple Lib Dem staffers first emerged years ago. Yet the Lib Dem leadership has repeatedly failed to fully freeze him out due to his decades-long role masterminding Lib Dem ground campaigns…

Glad to have helped in Brecon with Chris Rennard who ran my 1995 by-election. He pulled out all the stops. I won – but only just. We need the same in Brecon. More help needed, and work till 10pm. Every vote is needed. ⁦@LibDems⁩ pic.twitter.com/iYz8YOXZnV

— Chris Davies MEP (@ChrisDaviesLD) July 31, 2019

Now he’s resurfaced in the Lib Dems’ by-election campaign in Brecon and Radnorshire, receiving a warm welcome from the Lib Dem old guard including MEP and former MP Chris Davies (who confusingly shares a name with the Tory ex-MP and candidate). As one furious former Lib Dem staffer puts it, the “human octopus” just can’t resist sticking his tentacles back in…

New Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson wrote a searing article two years ago about Rennard declaring him “not welcome” in the party:

“That Lord Rennard remains in the party, showing no remorse or contrition, while many of the women involved have left, fills me with sadness and anger. When I hear suggestions that the women who spoke out should not be believed, or that they were somehow manipulated, it makes my blood boil.

“Vince — and Tim before him — have repeatedly, publicly said Rennard is not welcome anywhere near their frontbench team, even as an adviser. I remain deeply frustrated that he was not expelled from the party through its disciplinary process. It just feels wrong, and I do not want Lord Rennard to continue as a member of the party. As far as I am concerned, he is not welcome.”

Now the buck stops with her there is no excuse, will she finally take action?

Jo Swinson on Chris Rennard…

“Vince — and Tim before him — have repeatedly, publicly said Rennard is not welcome anywhere near their frontbench team, even as an adviser. I remain deeply frustrated that he was not expelled from the party through its disciplinary process. It just feels wrong, and I do not want Lord Rennard to continue as a member of the party. As far as I am concerned, he is not welcome.”

Guido’s story about pervy peer Chris Rennard worming his way back in with the LibDems has caused quite a row. Rennard is an old friend of Cable – more modern-minded LibDems say their leader is too old school to understand why it is not appropriate for their Harvey Weinstein to still be knocking about. Rennard ran Cable’s campaign in Twickenham in June, he was in Vince’s campaign office on polling day, went leafleting outside Twickenham station and posed for photos with Cable and his constituents. The LibDems are rumoured to be having a reshuffle this afternoon, and Vince is said to be considering promoting Rennard to an official role. This is causing immense anger among senior LibDems, who are threatening “civil war” if Cable attempts to get his old mate back in. Surely Vince can see the problem, though don’t remember him joining the criticism of Weinstein this week…

UPDATE: No “shadow cabinet” job for Rennard in the reshuffle. Would have been a bold move from Vince.

With Westminster calling on Theresa May to strip Harvey Weinstein of his CBE, the LibDems are still letting their own handsy wrong ‘un get away with it. Bridget Harris, one of Lord Rennard’s victims, has compared the former LibDem chief executive to the disgraced Hollywood mogul in an interview with Emma Barnett. Ali Goldsworthy, who was also harassed by the pervy peer, says Weinstein and Rennard are a case of “Same playbook, different location”. Surely the LibDems won’t be having anything to do with Rennard, right?

Wrong. This is Lord Rennard two weeks ago on a trip to Brussels with the LibDem chief executive and a third of the party’s MPs. Rennard and Vince Cable are old friends, LibDem sources say he is trying to get back into the fold and judging by this photo he is having some success. This trip would have been known about by Cable’s office – they obviously did nothing to prevent Rennard’s attendance. One is a disgraced power-broker despised and loathed by young women in his field, the other is Harvey Weinstein…

UPDATE: Another LibDem source gets in touch to say Rennard effectively ran Cable’s election campaign in Twickenham – here’s a photo he posted on polling day of them campaigning together:

There is a battle going on behind the scenes to convince Vince not to give him a job…