Tory Donor Rami Ranger Pays £50,000 for Dinner with Kemi Badenoch
A Conservative donor who was suspended from the party over bullying and inappropriate language complaints has spent £50,000 to secure a dinner with Kemi Badenoch, the Guardian has exclusively learned. Rami Ranger, a member of the House of Lords, made the successful bid at a Tory fundraising event last week, reigniting controversy within the party about his readmission.
Background of Suspension and Readmission
Lord Ranger was suspended from the Conservative Party in 2023 following allegations of bullying an independent journalist, Poonam Joshi, and making inappropriate remarks about Pakistanis. He was readmitted in November 2024 but lost his CBE shortly afterward. Ranger stated that his suspension resulted from refusing to apologise to the complainants, emphasising his long-standing membership since 1978 and support for free trade and enterprise principles.
However, a party backer criticised the move, saying, "The rehabilitation of Rami Ranger just shows how desperate this Tory party is for money from anywhere." The Conservative Party has not commented on the matter.
Fundraising Event Details
The bid occurred during a 1920s-themed event at the five-star Peninsula hotel in central London, where tables cost up to £10,000 each. The fundraiser reportedly raised around £220,000 for the party, with other lots including dinner with Michael Gove, lunch with Jacob Rees-Mogg, and a shooting trip with James Cleverly. A lunch with Claire Coutinho sold for £10,000, and a round of golf with David Cameron went for £2,000 per hole.
Attendees noted that the dinner with Badenoch was the most popular lot, attracting bids from several senior donors. Ranger's participation highlights a significant shift in the party's attitude toward him in recent years.
Investigation and Controversies
In 2022, the Guardian revealed that Ranger was under investigation by the House of Lords for bullying and harassing freelance journalist Poonam Joshi. He made unfounded allegations about her husband, called her an "evil woman" and "epitome of filth and garbage," and threatened legal action. The Lords commissioner for standards ruled he had abused his power but did not suspend him after he agreed to social media training and re-attending a behaviour seminar.
During the investigation, Ranger wrote a letter to the BBC questioning if "Pakistani-origin staff" were involved in a documentary critical of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He later apologised and withdrew the comments, but was suspended from the party in September 2023 after an internal investigation. Party officials did not announce his suspension and quietly reinstated him in late 2024.
Reactions and Aftermath
Poonam Joshi condemned the Tory party's reintegration of Ranger, calling it "appalling and totally unethical." Electoral Commission records show Ranger donated £5,000 to the party in early 2024 during his suspension but has not contributed since. His reinstatement and subsequent loss of his CBE have fueled ongoing debates about ethics and fundraising in the Conservative Party.
