Thursday, May 21, 2009

Rennard to Quit as LibDem Chief Executive

Chris Rennard, the LibDem Chief Executive, has today announced that he will stand down in the autumn. He sent an email to LibDem members saying that he had been planning the move for some time. There's no doubt that his campaigning methods have been absolutely crucial to the LibDem successes over the last fifteen years and his departure will be a severe blow. It has been thought that he and Nick Clegg have not see eye to eye on a number of issues, and that may have played a part in his decision. There have also been mutterings about the LibDems being a one trick campaigning pony and the fact that Rennard and his team have not been able to adapt to new political circumstances. It's also odd for it to be announced in the closing stages of an election campaign, but there you go. Here's the text of his letter...

My reason for writing is that I have decided to make the current election campaigns my last as Chief Executive. I discussed this with Nick some time ago and I have given notice to the Party President that I will stand down as Chief Executive at the end of the Summer.

I want to be able to work more flexibly in future whilst of course continuing to help our party advance. I believe that I will be better able to do so without the administrative burdens of being Chief Executive and running the party's day to day organisation.

For family and health reasons, I have needed to change the way in which I work. My wife Ann has supported me enormously in all my work. But since she retired a few years ago after more than 35 years teaching, we wanted to have something of a more normal life outside the Westminster bubble.

This has become more important to me as I have struggled to maintain good diabetic control with the rigours of a very demanding lifestyle. This has proved to be increasingly difficult whilst carrying out the role of Chief Executive at HQ and around the country.

I decided that this Summer would be the best time for me and for the party to make a change. I am letting the party know this now, so that it can take the necessary steps to appoint a new Chief Executive in the Autumn.

My major work as Chief Executive in recent years has been to help create new structures for the party organisation and help to recruit an extremely strong professional team to work for it. The role of Chief Executive has therefore changed significantly since I undertook this role six years ago.

By the Summer, we will have had crucial local and European elections and I believe that we will do well in them. I am also confident that Nick Clegg will prove to be the most successful Leader that we have ever had. I am immensely proud of the roles that I have played so far in securing the steady advance of the Liberal Democrat cause. Our values and beliefs have never been more important than they are today. I will, of course, continue to support the General Election campaign, but not as chair.

Finally, I would just like to thank all members personally for all the support that I have had whilst working for the party and I look forward to continuing to work with you in future.

PS I thought about letting you know this after the current round of elections, but having taken the decision and informed the Leader and President, I wanted you to hear directly from me and to fully understand why I have been trying to make lifestyle changes and will make an even more significant one later this year.

19 comments:

Weygand said...

What was the 'love' he was planning?

Is this a scandal I have missed?

Dual Citizen said...

Another goal for Guido - last time I checked methinks it's about 5-0.

Unsworth said...

Not 'odd' at all. He's running scared. There's more to come out about his land holdings and his commercial interests. He's just lowering his profile.

golden_balls said...

I see Andrew MacKay is the next person rumoured to be axed.

i find his expense claim along with his troughing wife to be unacceptable. I find this fraudulent in the same way that morely etc have been.

They both knew the other was claiming for second home allowances. If they insist it was an honest mistake cameron should sack both without any investigation.

Max Atkinson said...

Interesting that there's nothing in the letter about House of Lords expenses (for more on which, see today's postings at http://maxatkinson.blogspot.com)

Chris Paul said...

Surely it is the sleaze what did it? Why no mention of that? The old two homes shuffle, plus taking the piss on Lords allowances by clocking in when workng elsewhere.

Mirtha Tidville said...

I take it that his resignation letter will be closely followed by his expenses scandal......it just gets better..

eve1967 said...

bill wiggin has said he claimed for the wrong house. how come the interest on the house he claimed for with no mortage was more than the house he should have claimed for...stinks to high heaven

Anonymous said...

Pathetic it takes him 6 months to go!

He should sling his hook now he is well out of order troughing from his seat in the Lords whilst doing a directly employed jobs for the LD!

Anonymous said...

Another interesting question is the Michael Brown donation that the Liberal Democrats have claimed they do not need to repay because they took it in good faith!

Maybe as a first instalment Rennard should pay the money to the people riped off by Michael Brown and accidental LD Donors by proxy?

£40K has been mentioned by the media and as Rennard has not gone NOW! Surely he should pay the £40K to the tax payer or make a tiny downpayment on repaying the £2 Million dody Michael Brown Donation?

Anonymous said...

I have chanded my Symbol especially for this posting please note!

Renard should go now!

LD LD LD - Out Out Out!

Anonymous said...

Maybe Clegg should withdraw the Whip from the worst offenders in the LD Parliamentry party?

Willis and George are standing down anyway but Younger Ross who must be incredibly vain to want 4 Mirrors on the tax payer should have the Whip withdrawn!

The Pious LD have claimed they are whiter than white previously but there noses are firmly in the trough!

Anonymous said...

oh I forgot to mention Julia Goldsworthy as well! I was most interested in the Daily Telegraph page about her!

http://tinyurl.com/o87rh5

Anonymous said...

Actually Steve Webb looks extremley dodgy after looking at this in the DT! £8,400 claim looks very bad IMO!

http://tinyurl.com/qe6ez2

Ian Thorpe said...

Chris Who?

Does he have a moat...
Or a second home with no mortgage...
Or a floating duck island...
Or an unfeasibly large food bill...

Ted said...

Odd to have a post on Rennard and omit mention of the £40k he trousered for overnight stays in London, as he claims residence in a holiday home rather than the London house he lives in.
Clegg "come down like a ton of bricks" - I don't think so.

Anonymous said...

Iain,

Who's Tom Watson?

Mark Senior said...

I am pleased you escaped from having to pay damages from Tom Watson .
You may not be so lucky by continually allowing Martin Day under his various posting names to post numerous libellous statements against various LibDem MP's .
As an unemployable person who even managed to not be able to hold down a job at CCHQ , he has no money himself so thinks he is secure from being sued .

Iain Dale said...

Illiberal Democrat, you are testing my patience again with your series of inane comments. For God's sake, it's incredibly tiresome. Stop it.