Clegg's top aide told of Lord Rennard sexual harassment claims in 2010 This week, after several of the women repeated their allegations in television interviews, the Lib Dems began an internal inquiry into the peer's actions. In a statement on Thursday, the party said Mr Clegg was acting "in view of the serious allegations put to us" by Channel 4 News. As well as disciplinary procedures against Lord Rennard, there will be an "immediate review into all our procedures for dealing with these issues." The allegations included the claim that at a party conference in 2004, he "intimately groped" a female party candidate. He was said to have repeated the action at a party in 2007 to celebrate Mr Clegg's election as leader. It was also alleged that the peer propositioned an intern at another party event, leaving her in tears. Another incident described in the letter to Mr Oates involved Lord Rennard inviting two female candidates to his London house after dinner, pressuring them to join him in his bedroom, then trying to impede them as they left the house. On April 30, 2010, Mr Oates replied to the letter, saying it was "untrue to state that Mr Clegg was made aware of the incidents you allege" and confirming that Mr Clegg had not ordered any investigation into Lord Rennard. Mr Oates's reply also described the reports of Lord Rennard's behaviour as "unproven claims" and "serious allegations." Last night two other woman, none of whom were prepared to be identified, made similar accusations against Lord Rennard on Channel 4 News. Tim Farron, the Liberal Democrat president, admitted that the allegations were "shocking" but cautioned against prejudging the two internal inquiries. He said "clearly there is a case to be answered," adding that anyone who "put themselves forward" publicly to make such allegations had to be taken seriously. He said he was "sure that is the case" that Mr Clegg was not aware of the allegations until Wednesday night. Neither Mr Clegg's office nor Lib Dem party headquarters would comment on the 2010 letter to Mr Oates nor his reply.