He was born in India and he was the first Sikh member of the House of Lords.

[2] King served as Councillor on Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council from 1979 to 2007; he was a deputy mayor from 1982 to 1983.

He was a member of National Advisory Group for Gun Control of National Police Service and President of the Black Country Housing and Community Services Group.

[4] He was also the Patron of the Universal Peace Federation[5] which is an affiliate of the Unification Church.

He died of a suspected heart attack on 9 January 2013, at Euston station in London.