Police are investigating alleged racist comments made by Tory party donor Frank Hester about Diane Abbott at a meeting in 2019.
West Yorkshire Police said it is looking into allegations that the businessman said Ms Abbott, Britain’s longest-serving black MP, made him ‘want to hate all black women’ and ‘should be shot’.
Mr Hester, reputed to have given more than £10million to the Conservatives, has accepted he was ‘rude’ but denied being racist or sexist.
The investigation was passed over from the Metropolitan Police as the meeting took place in Horsforth, Leeds.
Police are investigating alleged racist comments made by Tory party donor Frank Hester (pictured at CHOGM in 2022) about Diane Abbott at a meeting in 2019
West Yorkshire Police said it is looking into allegations that the businessman said Ms Abbott (pictured), Britain’s longest-serving black MP, made him ‘want to hate all black women’ and ‘should be shot’
Hester issued a statement on X in which he said he was ‘deeply sorry for his remarks’ – but denied that his criticism had anything to do with her gender or the colour of her skin
A spokesman said officers were now ‘working to establish the facts and to ultimately ascertain whether a crime has been committed’.
They added that the Metropolitan Police had been contacted on March 11 about a report in The Guardian, and that this was the first time the remarks had been brought to the attention of police.
The force said: ‘We recognise the strong reaction to these allegations and appreciate everyone who has contacted us since the article was published.
‘As we continue our inquiry, we are keen to hear from anyone who could directly assist our investigation.’
