'Nothing to hide' on Rennard: Clegg BRITAIN'S Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg insists he has "got nothing to hide" over the way he dealt with concerns raised over alleged inappropriate behaviour by the Liberal Democrats' former chief executive, Lord Rennard. Clegg faces questions over a cover-up after he admitted knowing five years ago about claims of alleged sexual harassment by the peer. He said that he "didn't use the word 'screwed up'" about the way the party had handled the incident - a description used by the party's president, Tim Farron on Monday. But he said he "suspected" the inquiries he has ordered into the allegations would show party procedures were flawed. The growing row comes as the Liberal Democrats prepare to defend the seat of Eastleigh in Hampshire on Thursday, in a by-election caused by the resignation of Chris Huhne. Clegg told BBC Radio Solent: "I totally understand people have got lots and lots of questions but I hope I have given a full, frank, honest account. I have got nothing to hide, the party has nothing to hide. We have now got to listen to the women who feel they weren't properly listened to and get to the truth and that is what we will do. Farron acknowledged that the party had "screwed this up" and failed in its duty of care. He said a "completely full and open inquiry into how we got this wrong" was under way and insisted that he had heard only a "general rumour" before the complaints were broadcast. "The one thing I probably can tell you without going through due process is that we screwed this up as a party," he told the BBC Radio 4 Today program. There are individuals out there who we had a duty of care towards and we did not fulfil that duty of care. That is something that we have to learn from, apologise for and make sure it never happens again. Asked when he first heard of allegations against Lord Rennard, he said: "A general rumour I heard a year or so ago but no specifics, not even who or what or when or anything. In my job you come across quite a lot of gossip and it is difficult to know how you separate out general unspecific gossip from specific complaints. That is why we, as a party, with independent help and with real rigour, are now going to look at ourselves. My job as party president is not to defend the Liberal Democrats in this, in fact quite the opposite: it is to find out what happened and ensure these women get justice because I'm afraid they are the people who have been lost in ... all the political furore. Asked if he believed Conservatives were trying to whip up the controversy, he said: "They have to answer for that. All I can do is make sure I deal with the real job at hand.