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Baroness faces suspension over offensive racial remark

2024-12-13 02:00:03

A baroness who called a peer of Indian origin "Lord Poppadom" is facing a suspension from the House of Lords after an investigation found her comments amounted to harassment.

The Lords' Conduct Committee has recommended suspending Conservative Baroness Meyer for three weeks over her comments, which amounted to harassment "related to race".

Lady Meyer was also rebuked for touching the hair of a black MP without permission.

She initially denied making the comments but later apologised for both incidents.

The committee also recommended suspending Lord Stone of Blackheath, a former Labour peer, for six months over bullying after calling security staff "thick" and "stupid".

After a separate investigation the committee has also called for Lord Stone to be suspended for six months after finding he had bullied parliamentary security staff.

The former Marks and Spencer executive admitted to using an "aggressive" tone when contacted by security staff after leaving his suitcase unattended by an entrance to the parliamentary estate, contrary to the rules.

The report said: "In subsequent exchanges with security officers, on the telephone and in person, Lord Stone raised his voice, gesticulated, spoke over them and described (an officer) as 'thick and stupid'."

He refused to move his suitcase and used rude and offensive language.

Lord Stone appealed against an initial investigation by the Lords' Standards Commissioner that found he had bullied the staff, but the Conduct Committee upheld the findings.

He had previously been found to have sexually harassed staff by the Commissioner in 2019, leading to him losing the Labour whip.

After two allegations against him were upheld, he agreed to take part in a course of "bespoke training and behaviour coaching sessions".

In Thursday's report, the committee said: "The present case demonstrates that the clear pattern of Lord Stone's poor behaviour continues.

"Despite the hope we expressed in 2020, Lord Stone appears to have no greater insight into his behaviour now than he did then.

"His continued inability to control his behaviour and to treat staff with respect and courtesy is unacceptable."

Peers need to approve the sanction before it can be implemented, with a vote to do so expected early in 2025.