Comments allegedly made by major Conservative donor Frank Hester about MP Diane Abbott were ‘racist and wrong’ but he has ‘rightly apologised for the offence caused’, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s spokesman has said.
The PM has been under pressure to condemn the remarks allegedly made by the Conservative Party’s biggest donor after he allegedly said seeing Abbot on TV made him ‘want to hate all black women’ and that ‘she should be shot’.
Tonight, his spokesman said that the comments allegedly made by the healthcare businessman were ‘racist and wrong’, adding: ‘The Prime Minister is clear there is no place for racism in public life’.
Hester, who reportedly made the comments five years ago, has said he is ‘deeply sorry’ for being ‘rude’ about the Labour veteran, but denied that his comments were related to her skin colour or her gender.
Senior Tories had declined to describe the comments as racist throughout today, instead saying they were ‘inappropriate’ – until trade secretary Kemi Badenoch broke ranks to decry the comments as ‘racist’ in storming posts on X, formerly Twitter.
Rishi Sunk is facing mounting pressure to disown the businessman after he apologised for saying that Ms Abbott, 70, made him ‘want to hate all black women’.
Ms Abbott, the longest-serving black MP, spoke out about the rant by Frank Hester, the Conservatives’ biggest individual financial backer.
Rishi Sunak’s spokesperson has now said the remarks allegedly made by Hester were ‘racist and wrong’
Senior Tories had declined to describe the comments as racist – until trade secretary Kemi Badenoch broke ranks to criticise them on X, formerly Twitter, on Tuesday
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
Healthcare entrepreneur Hester, the Tories’ biggest individual donor, is said to have made the comments about veteran left-wing MP Ms Abbot during a diatribe in 2019 at the headquarters of his company, The Phoenix Partnership (TPP).
In comments first reported by the Guardian, he is alleged to have said in a meeting at his Leeds company headquarters: ‘It’s like trying not to be racist but you see Diane Abbott on the TV, and you’re just like… you just want to hate all black women because she’s there.
‘And I don’t hate all black women at all, but I think she should be shot.’
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said tonight: ‘The comments allegedly made by Frank Hester were racist and wrong. He has now rightly apologised for the offence caused and where remorse is shown it should be accepted.
‘The Prime Minister is clear there is no place for racism in public life and as the first British-Asian Prime Minister leading one of the most ethnically diverse Cabinets in our history, the UK is living proof of that fact.’
The comments sparked outrage from Ms Abbott, who is believed to have reported Hester to the police.
In a statement this morning, she pointed out that two MPs have been murdered in recent years, adding: ‘It is frightening. I live in Hackney and do not drive so I find myself, at weekends, popping on a bus or even walking places more than most MPs.
‘I am a single woman and that makes me vulnerable anyway. But to hear someone talking like this is worrying.’
However, senior Tories declined to call them racist on broadcast rounds earlier today – and Number 10 had earlier refused to say the comments were prejudiced.
Tory peer Lord Marland told LBC that Mr Hester ‘is not a racist… he made some unfortunate remarks that do sound racist’.
Pensions Secretary Mel Stride also tried to row in behind the super-donor this morning, telling broadcasters: ‘It’s clear that what he said was inappropriate. He has, as I understand it, apologised for those remarks.
‘I think the critical point here is I don’t think what he was saying was a gender-based or a race-based comment, but it was clearly inappropriate. He has apologised and I think we need to move on from that.’
But trade secretary Kemi Badenoch stuck her head above the parapet earlier today to do what other senior Tories did not – describing Hester’s comments as ‘racist’ and adding that she welcomed his apology.
In her post on X, she said: ‘Abbott and I disagree on a lot. But the idea of linking criticism of her, to being a black woman is appalling. It’s never acceptable to conflate someone’s views with the colour of their skin.
‘MPs have a difficult job balancing multiple interests – often under threats of intimidation as we saw recently in parliament. Some people make flippant comments without thinking of this context.
‘This is why there needs to be space for forgiveness where there is contrition.’
Hester has denied being racist or sexist, but has admitted being ‘rude about Diane Abbott in a private meeting several years ago’.
In a statement issued following the publication of the Guardian piece, a representative for Hester said: ‘Frank Hester accepts that he was rude about Diane Abbott in a private meeting several years ago but his criticism had nothing to do with her gender nor colour of skin.
‘The Guardian is right when it quotes Frank saying he abhors racism, not least because he experienced it as the child of Irish immigrants in the 1970s.’
It added: ‘He rang Diane Abbott twice today to try to apologise directly for the hurt he has caused her, and is deeply sorry for his remarks.
‘He wishes to make it clear that he regards racism as a poison which has no place in public life.’
It came as it was revealed Mr Hester’s firm picked up the £15,900 cost of a helicopter flight from London to Yorkshire for Mr Sunak last November.
Official Parliamentary documents show the money was paid by The Phoenix Partnership for a Conservative Party ‘political visit’ to Leeds.
TPP is a healthcare IT firm specialising in producing software for hospitals and GP surgeries. Its products include Airmid, a mobile phone app GP surgeries can provide to patients allowing them to view and book appointments on the go.
Mr Hester and his firm have donated £10million to Tory coffers in the past year, and Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has called on the Tories to hand the money back.
He told ITV’s Lorraine: ‘This apology this morning that is pretending that what was said wasn’t racist or anything to do with the fact she’s a woman, I don’t buy that I’m afraid, and I think that it’s time the Tory Party called it out and returned the money.’
MailOnline has contacted the Conservative Party for comment.
