James Forsyth James Forsyth

Lord Rennard, Mark Oaten and the Lib Dems’ embarrassing adolescence

issue 02 March 2013

Imagine if seven Tory Cabinet ministers had resigned since David Cameron became Prime Minister. Then think about another seven being accused of having covered up alleged sexual misconduct by a senior party official. It would put ‘Back to Basics’ in the shade. It would be the biggest scandal the Tory party had faced. But this, proportionately, is where the Liberal Democrats find themselves today.

Of the five Liberal Democrat Cabinet ministers appointed in May 2010, two have resigned — David Laws and Chris Huhne. Another two, Nick Clegg and Danny Alexander, are facing questions over the role they played in a cover-up of Lord Rennard’s alleged misdeeds. Given the casualty rate and a poll rating that is often a single digit, it’s remarkable the party is still in one piece.

A common theme connects each Liberal Democrat scandal: they happened when the party was not subject to the same level of scrutiny as Labour or the Tories.

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