A Conservative Party peer in the UK Parliament has been recommended for a three-week suspension and behaviour training after the House of Lords Conduct Committee found her remarks towards an Indian-origin colleague “offensive and insulting.” Baroness Catherine Meyer was accused of referring to Lord Navnit Dholakia, a Tanzania-born Liberal Democrat peer of Indian heritage, as “Lord Poppadom” in a “derogatory” manner during a visit to Rwanda earlier this year.
A report published on Thursday upheld the complaint of harassment with a “racial element” regarding Baroness Meyer’s conduct towards the octogenarian Lord Dholakia, who serves as the deputy leader of the Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords.
“Due to the significance of Baroness Meyer’s breach of the Code of Conduct and the impact of her behaviour on the complainants, I consider a short suspension to be justified in the circumstances,” the report stated.
The report recommended a three-week suspension, particularly citing the incident where Baroness Meyer twice referred to Lord Dholakia as “Lord Poppadom” as the most serious breach, given its racial undertone. It also suggested that Baroness Meyer undergo bespoke behaviour training provided by an approved external organisation.
The case arose from two incidents during a visit of the Joint Committee on Human Rights (JCHR) to Rwanda in February 2024. The first incident occurred when Meyer mistakenly addressed Lord Dholakia as “Lord Popat,” another Indian-origin peer in the House of Lords. While she apologised immediately, the matter escalated when it was later reported that she twice referred to Dholakia as “Lord Poppadom” during a taxi journey. Although Dholakia did not hear these remarks at the time, he was made aware of them by others present and said he felt “shocked” and “very uncomfortable.” He subsequently lodged a formal complaint with the Commissioners for Standards in April.
“I find that Baroness Meyer twice referring to Lord Dholakia as ‘Lord Poppadom’ constituted harassment within the definition in the Code of Conduct,” the report noted.
A separate incident during the same visit involved Labour MP Bell Ribeiro-Addy, who is of Ghanaian descent. Meyer reportedly asked if she could touch Ribeiro-Addy’s braided hair and, without waiting for permission, lifted one of the braids.
The report concluded that this also constituted harassment under the Code of Conduct.
Baroness Meyer expressed remorse for her actions and issued a written apology, stating she “never intended to be disrespectful, unkind, or insensitive.” However, the committee highlighted that the use of “Lord Poppadom” was related to a protected characteristic of race, making it an “aggravating factor.”
(With inputs from PTI)
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