{{Short description|British-Indian businessman (born 1947)}} {{Redirect|Baron Ranger|other people titled Lord Ranger|Lord Ranger (disambiguation)}} {{Use British English|date=November 2017}} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2022}} {{Infobox officeholder | honorific_prefix = The Right Honourable | name = The Lord Ranger | honorific_suffix = | image = Official portrait of Lord Ranger crop 2.jpg | caption = Official portrait, 2019 | office1 = Member of the House of Lords | status1 = Lord Temporal | term_label1 = Life peerage | term_start1 = 11 October 2019 | term_end1 = | birth_name = Raminder Singh Ranger | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1947|07|03|df=y}} | birth_place = Gujranwala, British India | death_date = | death_place = | death_cause = | party = Conservative | other_party = Non-affiliated (2023–2024) | known_for = | occupation = Businessman | spouse = Renu Ranger | children = 3, including Reena }}
'''Raminder Singh Ranger, Baron Ranger''' (born 3 July 1947), is a British-Indian businessman and Conservative Party politician. He is the founder of Sun Mark, a multinational consumer-goods company, and has been a member of the House of Lords since 2019.
Born in Gujranwala, Punjab, just before the partition of India, Ranger was raised by his widowed mother in Patiala. He moved to the United Kingdom in 1971, and founded the shipping company Sea, Air and Land Forwarding in 1987, followed by Sun Mark in 1995. Ranger is a donor to the Conservative Party and served as a co-chairman of Conservative Friends of India. He was nominated for a life peerage in Theresa May's resignation honours.
In 2023, the House of Lords commissioner for standards found that Ranger bullied and harassed a journalist following a Diwali event in Parliament. After further revelations of derogatory comments about Pakistanis and Sikhs, Ranger's CBE appointment was revoked by the Honours Forfeiture Committee in 2024.
==Early life and education== Raminder Singh Ranger was born on 3 July 1947 in Gujranwala, then in the Punjab Province of British India, as the son of Sardar Nanak Singh and Harbans Kaur.<ref name="WW">{{Who's Who |title=Ranger |year=2023 |id=U286474 |doi=10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.U286474}}</ref><ref name="Eastern Eye">{{cite web |title=Lord Rami Ranger |url=https://www.easterneye.biz/?lists_2022=lord-rami-ranger |website=Eastern Eye |access-date=13 February 2024}}</ref> His father, an opponent of the planned partition of India, was assassinated about four months before Ranger was born.<ref name="Eastern Eye" /><ref name="Business Magazine">{{Cite web |date=10 July 2012 |title=Dr Rami Ranger MBE – Sun Mark |url=https://thebusinessmagazine.co.uk/companies/dr-rami-ranger-mbe-sun-mark/ |website=The Business Magazine |language=en |access-date=8 December 2024}}</ref> Shortly after his birth, the family moved to Patiala in Indian Punjab as refugees of the partition, and Ranger was raised with seven siblings by his widowed mother.<ref name="Sonwalkar2019">{{Cite news |last=Sonwalkar |first=Prasun |date=10 September 2019 |title=Punjab-origin Rami Ranger moves from Partition rags to House of Lords |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/punjab-origin-rami-ranger-moves-from-partition-rags-to-house-of-lords/story-Tvma1rS3yuH6b2tvR8aqKP.html |work=Hindustan Times |language=en |access-date=8 December 2024}}</ref>
Ranger attended Mohindra College in Patiala, and obtained a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree from the Government College in Chandigarh.<ref name="Sonwalkar2019" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=10 September 2019 |title=Indian man Rami Ranger nominated to the House of Lords |url=https://www.aninews.in/news/world/europe/indian-man-rami-ranger-nominated-to-the-house-of-lords20190910153255/ |work=ANI |language=en |access-date=8 December 2024}}</ref> He travelled to London to study law in 1971, but discontinued his studies because of a lack of funds.<ref name="Sonwalkar2019" />
==Business career== Ranger took up odd jobs after migrating to the United Kingdom, including working as a KFC chef in Norbury, south London, before being promoted to district manager. He subsequently operated a Post Office branch and newsagent's shop, and worked at Currys. In 1987, Ranger founded Sea, Air and Land Forwarding, a freight and logistics company, with £2 of capital and a typewriter.<ref name="WW" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Torrance |first=Jack |date=8 July 2016 |title=Rami Ranger on turning £2 of capital into £200m of turnover |url=https://www.managementtoday.co.uk/rami-ranger-turning-2-capital-200m-turnover/smes/article/1401237 |website=Management Today |language=en |access-date=8 December 2024}}</ref> He founded Sun Mark, a fast-moving consumer goods export company, in 1995.<ref name="WW" /><ref name="Sonwalkar2019" /> Under Ranger's chairmanship, Sea, Air and Land Forwarding won a Queen's Award for Export Achievement in 1999,<ref name="Business Magazine" /><ref>{{London Gazette |issue=55463 |date=21 April 1999 |page=S2 |supp=y}}</ref> and Sun Mark won Queen's Awards for Enterprise in international trade from 2009 to 2013, becoming the first company to win the award in five consecutive years.<ref>{{Cite web |date=21 April 2013 |title=Best of British business receive Queen's Awards for Enterprise |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/best-of-british-business-receive-queens-awards-for-enterprise--2 |type=Press release |website=GOV.UK |language=en |access-date=8 December 2024}}</ref>
==Political career== Ranger is a major donor to the Conservative Party. Through Sun Mark, he donated £25,000 to Theresa May's party leadership campaign in 2016.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Doward |first1=Jamie |last2=Neate |first2=Rupert |date=27 January 2018 |title=Presidents Club party guest backed Theresa May's Tory leader bid |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/jan/27/presidents-club-guest-support-theresa-may-conservative-leader-campaign |work=The Guardian |language=en |access-date=28 January 2018}}</ref> He gave £1.5 million in total to the Conservative Party from 2009 to 2024.<ref name="Morton2024">{{Cite web |last=Morton |first=Becky |date=6 December 2024 |title=Tory peer Lord Rami Ranger stripped of CBE |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c8j9y4r9178o |work=BBC News |language=en |access-date=7 December 2024}}</ref>
In 2018, alongside MP Zac Goldsmith, Ranger was appointed a co-chairman of Conservative Friends of India, linking the party with the British-Indian community and supporting stronger India–United Kingdom relations.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Sonwalker |first=Prasun |date=27 June 2018 |title=Rami Ranger named co-chair of Conservative Friends of India |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/rami-ranger-named-co-chair-of-conservative-friends-of-india/story-5QCfg6IoA0CBokxEO5jJYP.html |work=Hindustan Times |language=en |access-date=8 December 2024}}</ref> Ranger is a founding member of the Pakistan, India and UK Friendship Forum, the Hindu Forum of Britain, and the British Sikh Association.<ref>{{Cite news |date=7 December 2024 |title='Serious implications': Lord Rami Ranger slams UK committee over CBE revocation |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/serious-implications-lord-rami-ranger-slams-uk-committee-over-cbe-revocation-101733548950377.html |work=Hindustan Times |language=en |access-date=8 December 2024}}</ref>
May nominated Ranger for a life peerage in her resignation honours list. He was created ''Baron Ranger, of Mayfair in the City of Westminster'', on 11 October 2019,<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=62799 |page=18632 |date=17 October 2019}}</ref> and was introduced to the House of Lords on 29 October.<ref>{{Cite Hansard |title=Introduction: Lord Ranger |url=https://hansard.parliament.uk/Lords/2019-10-29/debates/BE71B3E2-C1CF-49AE-ABBF-0BC5AE1CB8A6/IntroductionLordRanger |jurisdiction=Parliament of the United Kingdom |house=House of Lords |date=29 October 2019 |volume=800 |column=861}}</ref> He made his maiden speech in an International Women's Day debate in March 2020.<ref>{{Cite Hansard |speaker=Lord Ranger |title=International Women's Day |url=https://hansard.parliament.uk/Lords/2020-03-10/debates/AA28AB0D-C16A-4F35-9EF3-ED77060482C5/InternationalWomen%E2%80%99SDay#contribution-52A06627-E3BF-4BF1-B0E3-ECE3B671542A |jurisdiction=Parliament of the United Kingdom |house=House of Lords |date=10 March 2020 |volume=802 |column_start=949 |column_end=951}}</ref>
After a series of controversies, the Conservatives withdrew the party whip from Ranger in September 2023, but did not disclose this to parliamentary authorities until a year later. The whip was restored to him in November 2024.<ref name="Stacey2024">{{Cite news |last=Stacey |first=Kiran |date=6 December 2024 |title=Tory donor stripped of CBE weeks after party whip reinstated in House of Lords |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2024/dec/06/tory-donor-rami-ranger-stripped-of-cbe |work=The Guardian |language=en |access-date=8 December 2024}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Parliamentary career for Lord Ranger |url=https://members.parliament.uk/member/4729/career |website=MPs and Lords |publisher=UK Parliament |language=en |access-date=8 December 2024}}</ref>
==Controversies== In 2020, an employment tribunal at Watford ruled that, in a 2018 phone call, Ranger victimised, harassed and discriminated against a female employee who complained about workplace harassment, contrary to the Equality Act 2010. His words were found to have had the effect of "violating the claimant's dignity and creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating and offensive environment for her".<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Rushton |first1=Katherine |last2=Young |first2=Charles |date=13 April 2021 |title=Exclusive: Tory peer who championed equality 'victimised' female complainant |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/04/13/tory-peer-championed-equality-victimised-female-complainant/ |work=The Telegraph |language=en |url-access=subscription |access-date=1 February 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Pogrund |first=Gabriel |date=13 April 2021 |title=Lord Ranger called worker who feared abuse a 'silly girl' |url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/law/article/lord-ranger-harassed-worker-who-feared-abuse-tribunal-rules-c5w9xjn8t |work=The Times |language=en |url-access=subscription |access-date=1 February 2023}}</ref> On appeal, the Employment Appeal Tribunal upheld the findings of harassment and discrimination against Ranger but allowed the claim of victimisation to be reheard; that claim was later withdrawn by the employee. Ranger won a subsequent legal case in which the employee's £673,000 compensation claim was struck out.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Rushton |first1=Katherine |last2=Bird |first2=Steve |date=15 February 2023 |title=Tory peer wins legal battle against former employee who accused him of 'victimisation' |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/02/15/tory-peer-wins-legal-battle-against-former-employee-who-accused/ |work=The Telegraph |language=en |url-access=subscription |access-date=8 December 2024}}</ref>
In 2022, the House of Lords commissioner for standards initiated an investigation into Ranger following a complaint by Poonam Joshi, a female journalist who accused him of bullying and harassment. Joshi was investigating Ranger's alleged links to Nithyananda, a controversial Indian guru, a representative of whom was invited to a Diwali event hosted by Ranger at the Palace of Westminster in October 2022.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Stacey |first=Kiran |date=20 December 2022 |title=Lords inquiry launched into Tory peer accused of bullying female journalist |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/dec/20/lords-open-inquiry-into-claims-tory-peer-rami-ranger-harassed-woman-journalist-poonam-joshi |website=The Guardian |language=en |access-date=30 January 2023}}</ref> The commissioner's report, published in June 2023, found that Ranger bullied and harassed Joshi through a series of tweets and WhatsApp messages. He apologised to Joshi, and promised to undertake social-media training and re-attend a seminar on the parliamentary behaviour code, in lieu of being suspended from Parliament.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Stacey |first=Kiran |date=13 June 2023 |title=Tory peer 'undermined and humiliated' journalist, finds Lords commissioner |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2023/jun/13/tory-peer-undermined-and-humiliated-journalist-finds-lords-commissioner-rami-ranger |work=The Guardian |access-date=14 June 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Sawer |first=Patrick |date=13 June 2023 |title=Tory peer bullied, harassed and humiliated women's rights campaigner |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/06/13/tory-peer-bullied-harassed-womens-rights-campaigner/ |work=The Telegraph |language=en |url-access=subscription |access-date=17 June 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=The conduct of Lord Ranger: Report from the Commissioner for Standards |url=https://www.parliament.uk/globalassets/documents/lords-commissioner-for-standards/conduct-of-lord-ranger.pdf |publisher=House of Lords |language=en |access-date=8 December 2023}}</ref>
Ranger wrote to BBC director-general Tim Davie in January 2023 to complain about the documentary series ''India: The Modi Question'', which examined Indian prime minister Narendra Modi's role in the 2002 Gujarat riots; in his letter, Ranger demanded to know whether the BBC's "Pakistani-origin staff were behind this nonsense".<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Allegretti |first1=Aubrey |last2=Stacey |first2=Kiran |date=30 January 2023 |title=Tory peer accused of 'racially charged' attack on BBC Modi documentary |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2023/jan/30/tory-peer-accused-of-racially-charged-attack-on-bbc-modi-documentary |website=The Guardian |language=en |access-date=30 January 2023}}</ref> He withdrew his comments after they were accused of being "racially charged".<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Allegretti |first1=Aubrey |last2=Stacey |first2=Kiran |date=31 January 2023 |title=Tory peer withdraws 'racially charged' comments |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2023/jan/31/tory-peer-withdraws-racially-charged-comments |website=The Guardian |language=en |access-date=29 April 2023}}</ref>
==Honours== Ranger was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2005 Birthday Honours for services to business and the Asian community,<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=57665 |date=11 June 2005 |page=20 |supp=y}}</ref> and promoted to Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2016 New Year Honours for services to business and community cohesion.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=61450 |date=30 December 2015 |page=N10 |supp=y}}</ref> He was awarded honorary degrees by the University of West London in 2016,<ref>{{Cite news |date=24 July 2016 |title=NRI Rami Ranger honoured with honorary doctorate |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/nri/nri-achievers/nri-rami-ranger-honoured-with-honorary-doctorate/articleshow/53367344.cms |work=The Times of India |language=en |access-date=8 December 2024}}</ref> the University of Wolverhampton in 2021,<ref>{{Cite web |date=17 September 2021 |title=Lord adds an honorary award to his enterprising accolades |url=https://www.wlv.ac.uk/news-and-events/latest-news/2021/september-2021/lord-adds-an-honorary-award-to-his-enterprising-accolades--.php |publisher=University of Wolverhampton |language=en |access-date=28 September 2024}}</ref> and London South Bank University in 2022.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Honorary Awards Ceremony |date=17 October 2024 |url=https://www.lsbu.ac.uk/about-us/people/honorary-awards-ceremony |publisher=London South Bank University |language=en |access-date=8 December 2024}}</ref>
Ranger's CBE appointment was revoked in December 2024 for "bringing the honours system into disrepute".<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=64589 |date=9 December 2024 |page=24938}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/individuals-whose-honours-have-been-revoked-by-the-sovereign/list-of-individuals-who-have-forfeited-their-honour-since-august-2023 |title=List of individuals who have forfeited their honour (since August 2023) |date=6 December 2024 |website=GOV.UK |language=en |access-date=7 December 2024}}</ref> The Honours Forfeiture Committee was understood to have considered Ranger's bullying and harassment of Joshi, as well as derogatory comments about the Pakistani and Sikh communities, in deciding to strip Ranger of the honour.<ref name="Stacey2024" /><ref name="Morton2024" />
==Personal life== Ranger and his wife Renu have three daughters.<ref name="WW" /><ref name="Eastern Eye" /><ref name="Asian Voice">{{cite news |title=Entrepreneur and philanthropist Rami Ranger celebrates his 70th birthday with style |url=https://www.asian-voice.com/Community/Entrepreneur-and-philanthropist-Rami-Ranger-celebrates-his-70th-birthday-with-style |access-date=13 February 2024 |work=Asian Voice |date=17 July 2017}}</ref> His eldest daughter, Reena Ranger, is also a Conservative politician, and succeeded him as the co-chairman of Conservative Friends of India.<ref name="Eastern Eye"/> She is married to Harmeet "Sunny" Ahuja, who is the CEO of Sun Mark and the Ranger family businesses.<ref name="Eastern Eye"/><ref name="Asian Voice"/>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{UK Peer links | parliament = 4729 | publicwhip = Lord_Ranger | theywork = 25788 }}
{{s-start}} {{s-prec|uk}} {{s-bef|before=The Lord Davies of Gower}} {{s-ttl|title=Gentlemen'''<br />''Baron Ranger'' '''}} {{s-fol|after=The Lord Hendy}} {{s-end}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ranger, Rami Ranger, Baron}} Category:1947 births Category:Living people Category:20th-century British businesspeople Category:21st-century British businesspeople Category:21st-century British politicians Category:British businesspeople of Indian descent Category:British company founders Category:British people of Punjabi descent Category:Conservative Party (UK) donors Category:Conservative Party (UK) life peers Category:Indian emigrants to England Category:Indian peers Category:Life peers created by Elizabeth II Category:Naturalised citizens of the United Kingdom Category:People from Gujranwala Category:People stripped of a British Commonwealth honour