One of the relatively newer peers in the House of Lords has issued multiple apologies after an incident earlier this year resulted in an inquiry by the Parliament’s Conduct Committee, which has recommended a three-week suspension.
Lord Kulveer Ranger, who took his oath as a peer in July last year, was found in breach of the Code of Conduct on bullying and harassment following a drunken incident in a Lords bar in January. After two unnamed complainants approached the Commissioner for Standards in February, the Conduct Committee opened an inquiry and released its report on ‘The conduct of Lord Ranger of Northwood’ last week.
The report concludes: “We recommend that Lord Ranger of Northwood be suspended from the service of the House for three weeks,” concludes the report by the cross-party Conduct Committee.
“We further recommend that Lord Ranger of Northwood be denied access to bars in the House of Lords for a period of 12 months, and that in other Lords catering venues that serve both alcohol and food he be denied service of alcohol for the same period. We invite the Commons authorities to consider whether a similar response would be appropriate with regard to the facilities administered by that House,”
The report will be tabled in the House of Lords to sign off on the sanctions once Parliament reconvenes after the Whitsun Recess in early June.
In a letter of apology, London-born Lord Ranger says: “I am deeply mortified at the descriptions of my behaviour. I must say I have little recollection of the incident but that is in no way to diminish how you both have described my actions or how they made you feel.
“I really want to take this opportunity to say that this is not the type of behaviour or conduct I have maintained in my entire life, and I do not recognise the behaviour described to be at all in keeping with my character. I have, and aim to maintain, the utmost respect and courtesy for all individuals I meet and work with and have done so in my professional and personal life. I have never behaved in this manner with anyone before, it is completely out of character for me.
MORE LIKE THIS…
“With regards to this incident, if I in anyway upset or offended you, I again sincerely apologise. I am extremely saddened to hear that I caused you any distress. Throughout my life I have never seen it fit to behave in an aggressive or rude manner. I can only add that I have had a variety of very concerning health issues for both my children and wife during December and January that have been very stressful and taken a significant toll on my physical capacity and mental health, and may have had some bearing on my wholly uncharacteristic outburst and responses to your questions, for which again I am extremely sorry.”
The Conduct Committee took note that Lord Ranger did not appeal against either the commissioner’s findings or the recommended sanction and instead wrote a further letter of apology to them, enclosing two character references.
The complainants, referred to as JK and LM, said the peer had approached them in Strangers’ Bar in the House of Lords on January 17 evening. He reportedly appeared “very drunk” and displayed unprovoked “aggressive behaviour by shouting and swearing at them and invading their personal space” before he was encouraged to leave the bar by others present.
MORE LIKE THIS…
Known for his work in the sphere of London’s transport and environmental infrastructure under the mayorship of Boris Johnson, Ranger was rewarded with a life peerage in the former prime minister’s resignation honours list.
He has given up the Conservative Party whip following the Conduct Committee sanction and will now be sitting as a non-aligned peer in the Lords.