A Conservative peer bullied and humiliated a women’s rights campaigner both online and in person, a House of Lords investigation has found.
Lord Rami Ranger has been forced to apologise after the inquiry found he had harassed the campaigner and journalist on Twitter – calling her “the epitome of filth and garbage”.
The top Tory donor also described the Indian journalist Poonam Joshi “a total nutcase” and referred to her “poor upbringing” following argument at a Diwali event in parliament.
Following a complaint from Ms Joshi, Lords standards commissioner Akbar Khan found Lord Ranger had bullied and harassed Ms Joshi by “persistently undermining, humiliating and denigrating” the journalist.
The peer had made disparaging comments to Ms Joshi during the Diwali event in 2022 – including remarks such as “know your place” and “don’t try to be too big for your shoes”, although Mr Khan decided it was unlikely that he had shouted these words as Ms Joshi had claimed.
Ms Joshi told the investigation that he had described her several times on as a “presstitute” – a slur used in against journalists who criticise India’s ruling BJP government.
The Tory peer said he accepted that his behaviour “fell short of the high standards I expect of myself”. As well as apologising, Lord Ranger agreed to undertake a bespoke training and behaviour change coaching course.
The inquiry heard that Lord Ranger has taunted Ms Joshi’s status by writing on Twitter: “Everyone knows me in Parliament. Who knows you?” and “Do you have any money?”
Lord Ranger also wrote to the Indian Journalists Association about barring Ms Joshi, urging the body to “show the spine and cut out the cancer”.
However, the Lords standards commissioner also found that Ms Joshi, a reporter for Indian network ABP News, bore some responsibility for continuing the dispute.
“The initial disagreement at the Diwali event escalated considerably because of the public way in which both parties chose to handle it, which only caused hurt, upset and humiliation to both parties.”
During their Twitter exchange, Ms Joshi described Lord Ranger as “a disgrace to the entire Hindu community”, said he “displays no regard for women” and accused him of having “bought” his peerage through donations to the Conservative Party.
Although he was unable to compel her to act, Mr Khan recommended that Ms Joshi also apologise, which she did, saying: “I am remorseful and accept that I bear a share of the responsibility for the circumstances which have arisen, and I apologise to Lord Ranger.”
In his apology, Lord Ranger said: “In this report, the commissioner has found my behaviour fell short of the high standards I expect of myself, and which others expect of me as a sitting member of the House of Lords. I have expressed my remorse and I apologise to Ms Joshi.”
He added “The investigation process and reading and reflecting on the report has had a profound and lasting effect on me. I will continue to self-reflect and learn from this experience.”
Lord Ranger had invited Ms Joshi to the Diwali event as part of an effort to mediate another dispute between the journalist and the Hindu Forum of Britain, which he had helped establish. But, Mr Khan found, relations “began to sour” after an angry exchange of words at the event in October 2022.
