Tory peer faces ban over drunken outburst

A Conservative peer could be suspended from the House of Lords for three weeks for drunkenly harassing two women.

Lord Kulveer Ranger, a former adviser to Boris Johnson, also faces a 12-month ban from all of parliament's bars.

A conduct watchdog found he swore at the women and called them "useless" while drunk in Strangers' Bar in parliament.

Lord Ranger said he did not recall the incident but apologised to the complainants.

Peers will vote on the punishments, recommended by the House of Lords Conduct Committee, in June.

The committee's report said Lord Ranger had been "visibly drunk" and made "various inappropriate comments" to a group of people in Strangers' Bar, which is next to the House of Commons terrace.

He then returned to the same group and "acted aggressively, shouting and swearing", calling them "useless" and "invading their personal space".

Lord Ranger, who worked as Mr Johnson's director for transport policy during his time as mayor of London, did not contest the report.

He said he did not recall the incident but was "deeply mortified at the descriptions of my behaviour" and "saddened to hear that I caused you distress".

Lord Ranger called the event a "wholly uncharacteristic outburst", influenced by family health problems that had "taken a significant toll" on him.

As well as suspending Lord Ranger for three weeks, the committee recommended he be banned from the House of Lords bars for 12 months to "underline the House's disapproval of alcohol-related misconduct".

The committee also urged the House of Commons authorities to ban Lord Ranger from its bars for 12 months.

The House of Lords Standards Commissioner originally recommended that Lord Ranger be suspended for just one week. But the Conduct Committee increased the sanction after finding his behaviour had been "particularly serious".

The committee said: "Lord Ranger's bullying behaviour was prolonged in duration, with two separate incidents separated by up to an hour, alcohol was an important factor, and it led to a finding of harassment as well as bullying".

One complainant was left with trouble sleeping and became "more wary about her interactions with people", the report noted.

The suspension will only take effect if the House of Lords agrees to the recommendations through a vote - expected in early June.