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Donor suspended from Tories pays £50,000 for dinner with Kemi Badenoch
| United Kingdom | world | ✓ Verified - theguardian.com

Donor suspended from Tories pays £50,000 for dinner with Kemi Badenoch

#Rami Ranger #Kemi Badenoch #Conservative party #fundraising #suspension #bullying allegations #political donations #Peninsula hotel

📌 Key Takeaways

  • Rami Ranger paid £50,000 for dinner with Kemi Badenoch at a Tory fundraising event
  • Ranger was suspended from the Conservative party in 2023 after accusations of bullying and inappropriate language
  • The Conservative party has quietly reinstated Ranger despite the controversy
  • The fundraising event at the Peninsula hotel reportedly raised around £220,000 for the party

📖 Full Retelling

Conservative donor Rami Ranger, who was temporarily suspended from the party in 2023, paid £50,000 last week to have dinner with Kemi Badenoch at a Tory fundraising event at the five-star Peninsula hotel in central London, despite his controversial past that includes accusations of bullying and inappropriate language. The successful bid came during a 1920s-themed fundraising event where tables cost up to £10,000 each, with other lots including dinner with Michael Gove, lunch with Jacob Rees-Mogg, and a shooting trip with James Cleverly. The event reportedly raised around £220,000 for the Conservative party. Lord Ranger, who has donated more than £1.5m to the Conservatives since 2009, was suspended in 2023 after complaints about remarks he made to a journalist and comments about Pakistanis, but was reinstated in November 2024 before subsequently losing his CBE. Ranger's participation in the event has sparked controversy within the party, with some members expressing outrage that he was readmitted, while freelance journalist Poonam Joshi, whom Ranger was accused of bullying in 2022, criticized the party's decision as 'appalling and totally unethical.'

🏷️ Themes

Political fundraising, Party discipline, Controversial donors

📚 Related People & Topics

Rami Ranger, Baron Ranger

Rami Ranger, Baron Ranger

British-Indian businessman (born 1947)

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 partit...

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Conservative Party

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The Conservative Party is a name used by many political parties around the world. These political parties are generally right-wing though their exact ideologies can range from centre-right to far-right.

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Kemi Badenoch

Kemi Badenoch

British politician (born 1980)

Olukemi Olufunto Adegoke Badenoch (née Adegoke; born 2 January 1980) is a British politician who has served as Leader of the Opposition and Leader of the Conservative Party since November 2024. Badenoch previously worked in the Cabinet for prime ministers Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak from 2022 to 2024....

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Deep Analysis

Why It Matters

The incident highlights the Conservative Party's willingness to accept large donations from a suspended donor, raising questions about its ethical standards. It also underscores the ongoing debate over the influence of money on political appointments and internal party discipline. The case may prompt calls for stricter rules on donor eligibility and transparency.

Context & Background

  • Rami Ranger was suspended in 2023 for bullying and inappropriate remarks towards a journalist and comments about Pakistanis
  • He was readmitted in November 2024 but lost his CBE shortly after
  • He has donated over £1.5m to the Conservatives since 2009

What Happens Next

The Conservative Party may face renewed scrutiny from MPs and the public over its donor vetting processes. Kemi Badenoch could issue a statement clarifying the party's stance on the dinner. The incident might lead to policy reviews on fundraising and donor eligibility.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why was Rami Ranger suspended?

He was suspended after complaints of bullying and inappropriate language towards a journalist and remarks about Pakistanis.

What happened to his CBE?

He was stripped of his CBE shortly after being readmitted to the party.

How much did the dinner cost?

He paid £50,000 for the dinner with Kemi Badenoch.

Original Source
Donor suspended from Tories pays £50,000 for dinner with Kemi Badenoch Exclusive: Rami Ranger, who was suspended temporarily in 2023, makes successful bid at party fundraising event A Conservative donor who was suspended from the party after being accused of bullying and inappropriate language spent £50,000 last week to have dinner with Kemi Badenoch , the Guardian has learned. Rami Ranger was the successful for the dinner at a Tory fundraising event and will attend the meal with a small group of friends, infuriating those in the party who believe he should not have been readmitted. Lord Ranger, who has given more than £1.5m to the Conservatives since 2009, was suspended in 2023 after complaints about remarks he had made to an independent journalist, and separately, about Pakistanis. He was readmitted in November 2024, but lost his CBE soon afterwards. He told the Guardian he was suspended from the party because he had refused to apologise to the complainants. “I have been a member of the Conservative party since 1978, inspired by Edward Heath,” he said. “My support, financial and otherwise, has always been grounded in belief in free trade, enterprise, limited bureaucracy, and Britain’s competitiveness as a trading nation.” Another party backer, however, said: “The rehabilitation of Rami Ranger just shows how desperate this Tory party is for money from anywhere.” The Conservative party has been approached for comment. Ranger made his successful bid during a 1920s-themed event at the five-star Peninsula hotel in central London. Tables for the fundraising party cost as much as £10,000 each, giving Tory backers the chance to bid for lots including dinner with Michael Gove, lunch with Jacob Rees-Mogg and a shooting trip with the shadow housing secretary, James Cleverly. The event reportedly raised around £220,000 for the party. A lunch with the shadow energy secretary, Claire Coutinho, sold for £10,000 and a round of golf with David Cameron for a rate of £2,000 a hole. ...
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Source

theguardian.com

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