Liberal Democrat spinners spin away the past

A conundrum for ambitious Liberal Democrats who have seen their CVs blighted by the scandal surrounding former party Chief Executive Lord Rennard. Though the portly peer denies all allegations of sexual impropriety with a stream of female staff, that has not stopped party hacks and flacks, both past and present, tinkering with their résumés.

With his all-encompassing role as Chief Executive and general overlord of the party for nearly two decades, a reference from Rennard must have seemed like a golden ticket on CVs in the endless revolving door between politics and lobbying. One doyen of spin giggled over lunch this week that he has faced a large surge in requests to become a character referee for job candidates with yellow sympathies all of sudden, as Rennard is gently scrubbed from history. Such loyalty in tough times.