Peers have supported a proposal to ban a former Marks and Spencer executive from the House of Lords estate following multiple allegations of sexual misconduct. The House of Lords heard that Lord Stone of Blackheath’s continued presence “would present a clear and intolerable risk to other members of the parliamentary community”.
Investigation Findings
An investigation into the non-affiliated peer’s conduct concluded that his actions amounted to harassment and sexual misconduct. This marks the fourth occasion a report has found Lord Stone engaged in bullying, harassment, or sexual misconduct towards staff or visitors. In total, 11 individuals have lodged complaints about his behaviour, dating back to 2019.
The most recent complainants allege that he told one person he would like to kiss them, stated that sex “is always on my mind”, and questioned another if they were suicidal. He provided written and oral evidence to the most recent report published on April 29, in which he said he was “not aware” he was “creating this negative impact”, and has apologised “for the harm I caused in my ignorance”.
Background and Previous Sanctions
Lord Stone, who was joint managing director of Marks and Spencer from 1996 to 1999, retired from the Lords in December. No reason was given for his departure at the time. Lord Kakkar, chairman of the conduct committee, told peers on Wednesday that the departure came soon after the commissioner launched an investigation into three complaints.
The crossbencher said: “The commissioner upheld all three complaints, finding that Lord Stone’s behaviour in each case constituted harassment. The commissioner also found that Lord Stone’s actions towards two of the complainants, who were visiting the estate as his guests, constituted sexual misconduct. This is the fourth report in which Lord Stone has been found to have engaged in bullying, harassment, or sexual misconduct towards staff or visitors.”
After the third report, the retired peer was suspended from the House for six months in December 2024.
Recommendation for Expulsion
Lord Kakkar said the commissioner found Lord Stone was a “repeat offender who has been unable or unwilling to take steps to improve his conduct” and would have recommended his expulsion from the House had he not already resigned. He added: “The conduct committee agreed with the commissioner that Lord Stone’s presence on the estate, either as a pass holder or as a guest, would present a clear and intolerable risk to other members of the parliamentary community.”
While peers have supported banning him from the Lords’ estate, he has not been banned from the Commons. Lord Kakkar said he would be writing to the Speaker of the House of Commons, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, to invite similar restrictions there.
Complainant Accounts
The conduct committee report included comments from the complainants, with two saying they met him to discuss support for their charity, but what followed “demonstrated a gross misuse of power” and his behaviour “displayed a mixture of racist, ableist and sexist remarks and acts”. “Within moments of meeting, Lord Stone told me I was attractive and he’d like to kiss me,” one said.
Another complainant told the commissioner he allegedly said, “I must ask about sex, because it’s always on my mind”, and asked whether they were suicidal and touched their hair multiple times, while telling them he liked it.
Lord Stone's Response
In a written response to the committee, Lord Stone said he apologised for “any discomfort or distress” and he was finding it “more difficult to recognise and have clear insight into when my words and individual behaviour … is upsetting to others” as he got older. He said: “My intention was to act from a place of friendliness, openness, and curiosity; to learn more about how they experience everyday life and to highlight the positives in how I experienced them. It is clear from their complaint, however, that this came across to them as my being overfamiliar, intrusive, disrespectful, and prejudiced, and that it caused great discomfort and distress. I was not aware at the time of creating this negative impact, and I deeply and sincerely apologise for the harm I caused in my ignorance.”
The report said in later oral evidence, Lord Stone admitted saying “I’d like to kiss you”, and asked if one person was suicidal, but did not explicitly confirm he had raised sex.
Additional Complaints
The third complainant, a member of parliamentary staff, said they felt their “African accent was being singled out”, and Lord Stone left them feeling “disrespected and uncomfortable”. In a written response, Lord Stone said he was “deeply sorry” for his behaviour to the individual, saying he was in a “state of high anxiety”.
He was suspended after an incident in July 2023 where he called a security guard “stupid” and another “thick and stupid”, after leaving his suitcase unattended at the Underground station entrance to Parliament. Refusing to remove his suitcase, he told one of the officers: “I don’t care if they piss on it.” In his written response to the complaints, he did not dispute the facts of the case.
Lord Stone sat on the upper chamber’s Labour benches from 1997-2019, before becoming a non-affiliated peer.
