Unfair though it may be, that ludicrous picture of Lord Rennard, smiling smugly in his sandals and shorts, demonstrates better than any words that this is a man with precious little self-awareness.
This might be merely amusing were it not for the fact that he’s accused of consistently abusing his power by groping a series of young women who were dependent on him for their career advancement.
He may be a brilliant man, but, if the allegations about him are to be believed, he is an emotionally stunted and morally repugnant one, too.
Now, I know that there are many powerful men — politicians, bankers, businessmen and, yes, even journalists — who come across pretty young women only too eager to set scruples aside in favour of career advancement.
But according to Alison Smith, who wanted to be a Lib Dem candidate and is now a lecturer at Oxford University, the situation with Lord Rennard was ‘intolerable’.
She says an ‘astounding’ number of women’s political careers ended when, like her, they rebuffed his advances.
What’s particularly shocking about the accusations is that Nick Clegg either wilfully ignored all the talk about Rennard’s sickening behaviour (which was common gossip in the party) or completely failed to recognise the severity of the alleged offences.
It seems what mattered most to Clegg — married to the famously feminist Miriam — was his own ambition and career. He credits Lord Rennard with helping him become party leader and reveres him for his strategic skills.
More... Lord Rennard insists no-one complained about him in 27 years as alleged groping victim lifts lid on 'Rennard's Red Hot Babes' Fury of the Lib Dem women: Police to probe sex claims after plea by 'victims' as it is revealed there were five SPECIFIC allegations put to Clegg's office Whistleblower 'forced out after telling her boss she was pregnant': Fundraiser made to sign gagging order over Lord Rennard allegations named as Helen Jardine-BrownWith the General Election looming, he made the catastrophic mistake of bringing the man back into the party fold.
It was this that proved to be the tipping point for the women who’d previously complained about his behaviour — but who’d been persuaded, for the sake of the party, not to take their complaints further.
According to Alison Smith, pictured, who wanted to be a Lib Dem candidate and is now a lecturer at Oxford University, the situation with Lord Rennard was 'intolerable'Enough was enough. They took their concerns to journalists — and the scandal the party had been so anxious to avoid became headline news.
Clegg’s friend and biographer Jasper Gerard, now a Lib Dem candidate, says the allegations have been overblown into an ‘Edwardian melodrama’, and adds scathingly: ‘This isn’t the Jimmy Savile case revisited.’
Meanwhile, Lib Dem peer Tony Greaves’s defence of Lord Rennard is that he’s accused only of ‘mild sexual advances’ and ‘half the House of Lords’ has probably behaved in the same way.
These casual dismissals should infuriate men just as much as they outrage women, for they imply that men are helpless victims of uncontrollable urges.
What's particularly shocking about the accusations is that Nick Clegg either wilfully ignored all the talk about Rennard's sickening behaviour or completely failed to recognise the severity of the alleged offencesThe truth, of course, is that most men are perfectly capable of controlling themselves. Thirty years ago, many chose not to and often got away with it; today, the culture is different.
I’ve spent 30 years in a male-dominated profession and have seen the change myself — most women in most newsrooms are no longer in fear of having their bottoms patted or of a friendly smile being misinterpreted as a sexual come-on.
All women — and men — know there’s a world of difference between a drunken proposition at a party, which is as easy to forgive as it is to rebuff, and the frankly terrifying prospect of being groped by a man who is very much your senior during a sober discussion about your career prospects.
Can we really have a deputy prime minister who doesn’t understand the difference?
Jay Rutland, a sales director for an ‘online luxury goods firm’ who’s just got engaged to Tamara Ecclestone, says: ‘There’s not been one second when Tamara’s irritated me.’ Of course she hasn’t, Jay. You’re a former stockbroker who was once banned from the City for insider trading. She, on the other hand, is a multi-millionairess — and you’ve known her only a month. Bring on the style wars, SamAt the urging of Samantha Cameron, the Prime Minister has suggested that world leaders leave their spouses at home when they come to London for the G8 summit in the summer.
Of course, Sam is right — the idea of having to host a programme for leaders’ wives is as patronising as it’s outdated. So why do I feel disappointed? Because it means we’ll be deprived of the fun of the obligatory photo call, complete with silly hats, ill-advised dresses and riveting issues of hierarchy. Shallow, but regrettably true.
Outdated: At the urging of Samantha Cameron (left with Michelle Obama), the Prime Minister has suggested that world leaders leave their spouses at home when they come to London for the G8 summit in the summer Good Life’s gone for goodPenelope Keith, who played Margo in The Good Life, says the sitcom would never work today. Life in Britain has changed so radically since the series first aired, she insists, that viewers wouldn’t believe an unemployed couple could live next door to a titan of industry (Margo’s husband, Jerry, played by the late Paul Eddington). I hate to argue with the inestimable Ms Keith, but she’s completely wrong. The only possible way a couple today could afford to indulge the Good Life fantasy — which requires a very large garden — would be if they were so rich they had no need to work or pay a mortgage. After a study to work out the best formula for baking ended in failure, scientists have concluded that the secrets of cake-making remain a mystery. Yes, of course they do — they’re a mystery to all of us. That’s why we worship Mary Berry. It doesn’t matter what the scientific formula is — just do what Mary says and your cakes will be perfect every time. Who’s she kidding? Nicole Kidman says it's a myth that actresses have a shelf life that runs out at 40 Nicole Kidman says it’s a myth that actresses have a shelf life that runs out at 40, after which they must simply take on character roles. I’d take her pronouncements more seriously if she hadn’t had so much ‘work’ done that she looks 30, despite being 45. It would also help if her current ‘character role’, as she puts it, didn’t happen to be Grace Kelly — who gave up her acting career aged 26.Flat heels — being shown on every catwalk — are part of a cool ‘street’ influence that’s coming from London, apparently.
All I can say is: don’t bother. Comfortable flat shoes are almost universally ugly, and you can guarantee that a truly beautiful flat will also cripple you, thanks to a thin sole and no support.
On top of all that, unless you’re supermodel tall and reed-thin, they’ll make you look short and dumpy — and you still won’t be able to walk in them.
In his endearing Oscars acceptance speech, Daniel Day-Lewis paid tribute to his wife, Rebecca. His habit of behaving like the character he portrays meant, he said, ‘she’s had to live with some very strange men’. It certainly seems to have affected her. As his name was announced, she stared at him with such intensity and clung to his hand so tightly I wondered if he’d make it onto the podium.He’s going to take five years off. My guess is she needs the break just as much as he does.
Saviour of the seriesMaggie Smith says she never watches Downton Abbey.
But her revelation that she intends ‘to keep going with Violet and whatever other old biddy comes along’ means that, no matter how implausible the plotlines, the rest of us will continue to watch it.
Julian Fellowes must be mightily relieved.
Waitrose women sneer at PippaWhat can Waitrose be thinking of, hiring Pippa Middleton to write a food column?
It betrays a fundamental misunderstanding of their customer, who certainly doesn’t want to read Pippa’s ‘helpful’ tips for ‘Friday night feasts’.
A Waitrose shopper considers herself above Miss Middleton’s nouveau pretentiousness.
And anyway, what Waitrose Woman wants at the end of a long week is not a feast, but a cosy kitchen supper.
I predict that, like her book, Pippa’s new food column will be past its sell-by date almost as soon as it has hit the shelves.
