Lord Ranger, a 78-year-old Conservative peer, is suing Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer after his CBE was revoked in December 2024 following a House of Lords finding that he harassed journalist Poonam Joshi on social media. His lawyers will argue in the High Court that the Forfeiture Committee acted disproportionately and that the sanction risks chilling free speech. Supporters say the committee is enforcing establishment orthodoxy, while critics stress the committee's role in upholding the honours system. The hearing will test legal limits on honours forfeiture and protections for public expression.
Tory Peer Sues Keir Starmer After CBE Revocation, Saying It Threatens Free Speech
Lord Ranger’s company, Sun Mark, won the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in 2009
Lord Ranger, a 78-year-old Conservative peer and businessman, is taking legal action against Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer after his CBE was revoked and publicly annulled in December 2024. His lawyers say the forfeiture was disproportionate and that the decision risks creating a chilling effect on public debate and free expression by prominent figures.
Background
The honour was cancelled by the Forfeiture Committee after a House of Lords standards investigation concluded Lord Ranger had harassed and bullied journalist Poonam Joshi through a series of social media posts. The London Gazette notice said "the King has directed that… [the CBE] shall be cancelled and annulled and that his name shall be erased from the Register of the said Order."
Allegations and Findings
The House of Lords inquiry found that, following an event at the Lords last year, Lord Ranger repeatedly described Ms Joshi on social media with the term "presstitute"—a derogatory slur used in India—and falsely alleged she had reported her husband, a BBC presenter, for domestic abuse. The watchdog said he had abused his position as a peer to undermine, humiliate and denigrate her. Lord Ranger issued a public apology and agreed to undertake social media training.
In December 2024, the London Gazette published a notice about Lord Ranger, stating that ‘the King has directed that… [the CBE] shall be cancelled and annulled’
The Forfeiture Committee also examined other earlier controversial posts by Lord Ranger in which he criticised Sikh separatists and made derogatory remarks about Pakistanis; he has apologised for those comments. The committee, which holds hearings in private, concluded that his conduct had brought the honours system into disrepute and moved to annul the CBE.
Legal Challenge
In a High Court claim brought against the Prime Minister (the Cabinet Office oversees the Forfeiture Committee and is a department for which the Prime Minister has ministerial responsibility), Lord Ranger’s lawyers will argue the committee exceeded its authority and that its decision was flawed or based on unreliable or inaccurate information. They contend the sanction was disproportionate to his conduct and that removal of an honour amounts to an extreme and humiliating penalty.
Mark Lewis, Lord Ranger’s solicitor, said: "It would not be appropriate to comment on the facts of the case whilst it is ongoing, but it is interesting to see what, if any, legal constraints there are to governments adopting cancel culture over freedom of speech."
Reaction and Wider Debate
Supporters, including Baron Young of Acton of the Free Speech Union, argue the committee is enforcing an establishment orthodoxy and punishing lawful but controversial views, warning that revocations broadcast in the Gazette can have a chilling effect on public debate. The Free Speech Union described the annulment as "beyond the pale."
Dr Rami Ranger was awarded an MBE by the then Prince of Wales in 2005
Critics point to other simultaneous actions: Anil Bhanot, a founding member of the Hindu Council, was stripped of his OBE in December 2024 after social media comments about killings in Bangladesh. Detractors say these decisions reflect a broader tension between policing conduct and protecting freedom of expression.
Personal Details
Born in India, Lord Ranger built his fortune through Sun Mark, a global consumer goods business. He chairs the British Sikh Association and was awarded an MBE in 2005; he was appointed to the House of Lords in 2019 by Theresa May. He retains his MBE—the Forfeiture Committee did not remove that honour, and it is not clear why different honours were treated differently.
Lord Ranger has told friends he considers the cancellation of his CBE an "extreme penalty" and emphasises that he has never been convicted of a criminal offence. He accepts he made injudicious comments but says they arose from heated political debate or personal disputes and that he spent decades promoting interfaith and community cohesion.
The High Court is due to hear arguments on whether the Forfeiture Committee's decision should stand and whether its process respects legal limits and free-speech protections.
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