British Indian Conservative peer Lord Rami Ranger has won the right to seek a judicial review of the decision to revoke his CBE, allowing his challenge against the decision to move forward in the High Court.
Ranger, also known as Raminder Singh Ranger, was awarded the Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 2015 for services to business and community cohesion. King Charles signed the annulment of the honour on October 15, 2024, following a recommendation from then-Prime Minister Keir Starmer and advice from the Honours Forfeiture Committee. The annulment was officially gazetted in December 2024.
The committee had concluded that Ranger had brought the honours system into disrepute. Ranger subsequently challenged the decision, arguing that the revocation should be open to judicial scrutiny.
The government opposed the challenge, arguing that the removal of an honour was a prerogative decision and therefore could not be reviewed by the courts. Mrs Justice Lieven rejected that argument, ruling that the decision was justiciable.
Lieven also noted that the honours forfeiture process is governed by procedures set out in the Honours Forfeiture Handbook. The ruling means Ranger can now proceed with a full judicial review of the decision.
His legal team is expected to argue that the revocation was disproportionate and that the forfeiture process failed to follow due process. Ranger has previously described the case as a test of how the honours system deals with controversial conduct and freedom of expression.
The judicial review will examine whether the decision-making process was lawful rather than reconsidering the original allegations against Ranger. The case could have wider implications for the judicial scrutiny of decisions to revoke British honours.
