Lord Rennard insists no-one complained about him in 27 years as alleged groping victim lifts lid on 'Rennard's Red Hot Babes' Nick Clegg takes swipe at those asking questions about party's handling of complaints against Lord Rennard Independent inquiry to quiz Charles Kennedy and Sir Menzies Campbell about their time in charge Scotland Yard to meet Lib Dem officials to establish whether 'criminal activity' took place Alleged victim Alison Smith accuses Mr Clegg of 'shifting his position' Lord Rennard's return to the party machine was 'not encouraged' by leader's office, according to a senior source Ex-leader Lord Ashdown admits he head heard 'rumours' Lord Rennard today insisted no-one complained about his behaviour during 27 years in the Lib Dems, as complaints from women about his conduct engulfed the party. Amid claims female staff and activists feared being portrayed as 'Rennard's Red Hot Babes" if they spoke out about his conduct, the peer insisted the allegations were untrue. Metropolitan Police tonight met with Lib Dem officials to establish whether to launch a full criminal investigation into allegations against Lord Rennard, who quit as the party's chief executive in 2009. A spokesman for Lord Rennard said: 'Lord Rennard refutes these allegations.' He said the peer would 'co-operate with any properly constituted inquiry' after the Lib Dems launched two investigations - one into his conduct and a second into the party;s handling of complaints against him. The peer also launched a plea for no further comment on the allegations, claiming they are sub judice. The spokesman added: 'He has been notified of an internal investigatory panel within the Party. The matter must now be regarded as sub judice pending its proceedings and no further statement will be issued in the interim. He expects others to respect the sub judice principle, and he notes that under the party rules concerned it is for any case made against him to be proved by evidence to the requisite standard. He denies impropriety. He would reiterate that in 27 years of working for the Liberal Democrats he received no complaint or allegation about his behaviour. Nor is he aware of any personal complaints being made in the three and a half years since he stood down as chief executive until last week. Nick Clegg, pictured outside his London home today, insisted the allegations against Lord Rennard date back many years and the police should be left to get on with their job However, the row showed little sign of receding today, as an alleged victim lifted the lid on the 'almighty amount of power' Lord Rennard wielded in the party, including holding the purse strings for election fighting funds. Susan, a former Lib Dem county councillor who claims Lord Rennard followed her to the toilet at a candidates" event in Peterborough and propositioned her when she came out, said the allegations had 'rocked the party to the core'. She told BBC Radio 4: 'It's been like telling the party faithful that Santa Claus isn't real.' She added that under-fire equalities minister Jo Swinson did 'the best she could with a bad situation' at a time when nobody wanted to publicise the allegations. 'At the time we were all saying "we don't want this to go public, we don't want this to be in the public domain," in fact at one point someone referred to us as "Rennard's Red Hot Babes" and we didn't want the Sun or the News of the World as it then was, headline saying that and we didn't want any of these headlines.' She added: 'It is always really difficult for anyone to come forward and I'm hoping that regardless of the bad reactions that we have had from some of the men in the party, women will come forward and will engage with the inquiries.' Officers from the Met Police's Specialist Investigations Command today met with officials in the Liberal Democrat Party at New Scotland Yard, a spokesman said. The meeting was held to assist with our inquiries to ascertain if any criminal activity has taken place. That work continues,' he added. Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg today took a swipe at "self-appointed detectives" who exposed groping claims against former Lib Dem boss Lord Rennard. Ahead of a meeting between Scotland Yard and Lib Dem officials later today, the Deputy PM insisted the allegations date back "many years" and appeared to criticise journalists who published accounts from up to 10 women. MailOnline has also learned that former Lib Dem leaders Charles Kennedy and Sir Menzies Campbell are expected to be interviewed by an internal party inquiry about they knew of rumours about Lord Rennard's conduct - and whether they took action. Lord Ashdown, who was leader from 1988-99, today admitted he had heard of rumours about Lord Rennard before last Thursday's episode of Channel 4 News. 'We all picked up the rumours some time before the Channel Four thing,' he said, campaigning in the Eastleigh by-election. 'There were rumours starting to circulate around Westminster and I expect they were heard by all people from all parties,' he added, the Daily Telegraph reported. Mr Clegg's handling of the scandal has become the focus of intense criticism, after he initially denied knowing anything about the claims until they were broadcast by Channel 4 News last week, before admitting on Sunday that he was aware of "non-specific" allegations. Today Mr Clegg appeared to criticise journalists who had uncovered the claims, branding them 'self-appointed detectives'. With mounting speculation about the threat the scandal could pose to his leadership, he also refused to give a 'running commentary' on events 'which happened many years ago. The independent investigation into how the party handled complaints from women is expected to quiz former leaders including Charles Kennedy (left) and Sir Menzies Campbell Leaving his south-London home this morning, Mr Clegg said: 'I understand there are many people who appear to want to act as self-appointed detectives trying to piece together events that happened many years ago. He insisted that the "only way that we are going to get to the bottom of the truth" is by allowing the two party investigations to proceed. And, indeed, to allow the police, whom we have now approached, to do their job as well. 'And in the meantime I cannot and my party cannot provide a running commentary on every shred of speculation about events which happened many years ago,' he told Sky News. A dedicated hotline has also been set up for more victims to come forward, run by an independent firm which specialises in whistle blowing. The Lib Dems have launched two investigations. One, headed by Alistair Webster QC, will examine the specific allegations made about the conduct of Lord Rennard. A separate inquiry into the way the party handled the claims from 2003 onwards will be headed by an independent chairman. While the full list of interviewees will be drawn up by whoever is chosen to head the investigation, it is understood that the last three party leaders - Mr Clegg, Sir Menzies and Mr Kennedy - will be questioned about what they knew and what action was taken. "Clearly things weren't handled properly last time round," said a senior party source. Everyone in the party is expected to co-operate with the two investigations that have been set up. Business Secretary Vince Cable, who was acting leader from October to December 2007, is also likely to be quizzed although he has repeatedly denied any knowledge of claims against Lord Rennard. Treasury minister Danny Alexander, who as Mr Clegg's chief of staff in 2008 confronted Lord Rennard about rumours of his behaviour, will also expect to be called. Equalities minister Jo Swinson, who denies telling a colleague that Lord Rennard had an issue with women "but you have to put up with it," also faces growing pressure to explain her role. Scotland Yard confirmed it was investigating whether 'criminal activity' took place following allegations of inappropriate behaviour towards women by Lord Rennard. 'The Metropolitan Police Special Investigations Command has been approached by officials in the Liberal Democrat Party and is working with them to ascertain whether or not criminal activity has taken place,' a spokesman said. A party spokesman said: 'We can confirm that the party has had an invitation to attend a 'stakeholder meeting' at Scotland Yard to discuss the involvement of the police in any investigation into Chris Rennard. The party will fully engage with the police on this issue and continue to encourage anyone with allegations of a criminal nature to contact the police. Alison Smith, one of the women to have made allegations against Lord Rennard, today claimed Mr Clegg's 'position seems to be shifting'. She told ITV News she was 'certainly prepared' to help police with their inquiries and expected to be speak to them 'very soon'. Asked if she thought Mr Clegg had turned a blind eye to the scandal, she added: 'It's very hard to say what Nick Clegg did and didn't do because I have not been in the party since 2007 and I've never met Nick Clegg, I've never discussed this with Nick Clegg. I can't put words into his mouth.' Fresh details emerged last night about the whistleblower who was forced out of the Liberal Democrats and made to sign a gagging order over the Lord Rennard allegations. She was named as Helen Jardine-Brown, a former head of fund-raising, who was pregnant at the time. When she approached senior Lib Dems four years ago with claims about Lord Rennard's behaviour, she was told Nick Clegg would call her directly, but was never contacted. Less than two months later, her post was allegedly cut, shortly after she told her boss that she was pregnant. She was told her role was going as part of a "re-organisation." Miss Jardine-Brown eventually reached a £50,000 settlement with the party on condition of her silence. On Saturday, the Daily Mail revealed that a high-ranking woman official had been sacked but did not name her. It is believed Miss Jardine-Brown raised concerns about Lord Rennard's behaviour in September 2008, during an interview with senior officials at the party. Less than eight weeks later, after informing her employer she was pregnant, she was told her role was to be cut. Sources told the Daily Telegraph she was offered the chance to reapply for a more junior role, which she rejected. Miss Smith has said she decided to go public with her claims because Lord Rennard appeared to be back on the scene and involved in party "away days" and weekends. He was also elected to a senior committee of the party. Today sources close to Mr Clegg insisted the Lib Dem leader had not supported Lord Rennard's return to the party machine. 'It is nothing we encouraged in any way,' said a source. However, it is understood that those around Mr Clegg felt powerless to intervene in the party's democratic processes. Mr Clegg has come under sustained pressure to explain what exactly he had known about the claims and what he had done about them. He has insisted he has 'got nothing to hide' but Lib Dem president Tim Farron, referring to the way the case had been handled, said the party had 'screwed this up'. The Lib Dems initially insisted that Mr Clegg had known nothing about them until a Channel 4 News report broke the story on Thursday. On Sunday, however, the Deputy Prime Minister returned from holiday in Spain to concede that his office had heard 'indirect and non-specific concerns' as far back as 2008. He said that his then chief of staff Danny Alexander had put the concerns to Lord Rennard who denied any inappropriate behaviour. The following year the peer stepped down as chief executive citing ill health. But yesterday The Daily Telegraph published a 2010 email exchange with Mr Clegg's chief of staff Jonny Oates, in which it gave details of the dates and locations of four alleged incidents between 2003 and 2007 involving Lord Rennard, and made clear it knew the identities of the women who had complained. It asked whether Mr Clegg was aware of the claims and whether it was true that Mr Alexander and Lib Dem MP Jo Swinson had looked into them. Mr Oates responded at the time: 'It is untrue to state that Mr Clegg was made aware of the incidents you allege. Lord Rennard, who was the Lib Dem's key election strategist and adviser to a succession of party leaders, has strongly denied the allegations made against him by a series of Lib Dem women. Miss Swinson refutes the claim.