Mike Hancock to meet Nick Clegg on Monday

Mike Hancock, Liberal Democrat MP for Portsmouth South, has been called in for an interview with Nick Clegg under party disciplinary procedures on Monday afternoon, says Chris Ship (the deputy political editor for ITV News) on Twitter.

Earlier today, during his regular LBC phone in, Nick Clegg said:

"As leader of the party, you have got to react when allegations of this seriousness are made, you can't just sit there on your hands.

"When I heard yesterday that court papers had been served for some very serious allegations - which I have to stress he denies completely, which when the police looked at it they didn't take further action, so I'm not prejudging that case - I immediately asked our chief whip to start disciplinary proceedings including the possibility of suspending the party whip. 

"The next step is that a meeting is held between myself, my deputy Simon Hughes, the chief whip (Alistair Carmichael) and Mike Hancock. We are hoping to do that today at the very earliest possible opportunity."