Nick Clegg: If Lord Rennard does not apologise it will be a 'defiance' of my leadership Lord Rennard has always denied the allegations against him and has refused to apologise after the inquiry by senior barrister Alistair Webster QC found that although the women's claims were "credible" but could not be proved beyond reasonable doubt. Mr Clegg has made it clear that he wants Lord Rennard to apologise to the women affected but the complicated rules of the Liberal Democrats mean that is it not in the leader's power to stop any Lord being given back the whip. Lord Rennard's supporters now say that if Mr Clegg breaks these party rules to stop the peer re-taking the party whip they could take the issue to the High Court. Despite these issues the Liberal Democrat leader and deputy Prime Minister said that "basic human decency" demands an apology for the women affected and that if Lord Rennard does defy the demands of his leader the issue "will not rest there." Speaking on ITV1"s Daybreak Mr Clegg said: "Clearly it would be in defiance of basic decency it would be in defiance of what the independent formal process has recommended...and defiance of me and defiance of the president of the party and I just think that is why I hope it will not happen this afternoon, if it were to happen clearly matters would not rest there." The Liberal Democrat leader also appealed to his colleagues in the House of Lords to "make sure" that Lord Rennard issues an apology before taking up his place. He added: ""I don't think it's appropriate that he should be sitting in the House of Lords if he hasn't provided that apology. No apology, no whip, if you like, that's my view it's the view of many party members; it's the view, indeed of the person who did that formal inquiry on the party's behalf. I very much hope that he will and other colleagues of his in the House of Lords will listen to that and make sure the apology is issued, so that people who've been subject to behaviour which did cause them distress at least get that from him. The party said it was now considering fresh disciplinary charges against Lord Rennard to stop him sitting in the Lords. Any new investigation could be ordered, it said, because "dozens" of members complained that the party had been brought it into disrepute because Lord Rennard had not apologised for his behaviour. Mr Clegg added: "I believe it's very important in life generally but certainly in my party that people and especially people in positions of authority where it has been shown and it has been shown that inappropriate behaviour has caused to a number of women that a simple apology is issued. That is my firmly held view and, of course, of many other people as well.