The UK Parliament's Conduct Committee has released a report on the behavior of British Sikh peer Lord Kulveer Ranger of Northwood, finding him in breach of the Code of Conduct on bullying and harassment due to a drunken incident in the House of Lords. Lord Ranger, aged 49, has expressed apologies for his actions and will face a three-week suspension as well as a 12-month ban from accessing bars in Parliament.
The report, titled 'The conduct of Lord Ranger of Northwood,' outlines how two members of the Parliamentary community were subjected to inappropriate comments and personal space invasion, which they perceived as threatening. This behavior led to the committee's recommendation for Lord Ranger's suspension and restrictions on his access to certain parliamentary facilities.
The committee's findings were based on an investigation following complaints from the affected individuals, referred to as JK and LM. They reported an incident involving Lord Ranger's aggressive behavior, including shouting, swearing, and invasion of personal space, while he appeared intoxicated in Strangers' Bar in the Lords.
Despite Lord Ranger's apology and explanation of health-related stressors, the committee determined that his conduct warranted disciplinary action. The recommended sanction includes a suspension from parliamentary service for three weeks and a 12-month ban from bars in the House of Lords, along with restrictions on alcohol service in other Lords catering venues.
Lord Ranger did not contest the findings or recommended sanctions but instead provided additional letters of apology and character references to the Conduct Committee. His apology expressed regret for his actions and acknowledged the impact on the complainants, attributing his behavior to health-related stressors during the incident.
Lord Kulveer Ranger, a London-born politician, entered the House of Lords as a Conservative Party peer in the past year, having previously served as Director for Transport Policy under former Prime Minister Boris Johnson during his tenure as Mayor of London.
