Last year, the Federal Board asked barrister Isabelle Parasram to produce a report on how companies involving sexual sexual impropriety in the party should be handled. Should the party inform the Police? What about anonymity of complainants?

This happened because concern had been expressed about how some such complaints had been handled.

The report has now been published. In a post on the members’ section of the party website, Isabelle Parasram said:

As the Head of Greycoat Law (a barristers’ chambers) I have over two decades of legal and policy experience covering the various strands of law impacting this subject.  I am also a Party member, holding roles within the Party as Vice Chair of Liberal Democrat Women, Vice Chair of the London Region, Regional Spokesperson on Brexit, Prospective Parlimentary Candidate and other similar positions.  I understand that these were some of the reasons why I was approached.

My investigation and eventual Report addressed the following key areas (amongst many others that arose out of what I discovered during the course of my investigation):

1. support in the process for complainants;
2. anonymity for complainants;
3. reporting serious crimes to the police;
4. suspension of members following serious allegations and

1. how the Party can support members appropriately who are accused of serious allegations.

It is important to note that my focus was entirely on the applicable processes and were not and were never intended to be an additional investigation into the allegations themselves.

Because at this stage it has only been published for party members, it would not be appropriate to put it in the public domain, but party members can see it here, linked from Party President Sal Brinton’s regular blog, Sal Speaks.

In her blog, she also talks about the Alderdice Review into barriers facing BAME people in the party, the local elections and a look back at Conference. So, if you are a party member, do read what she has to say.