LONDON: Britain’s ruling Conservatives on Wednesday faced growing pressure to return millions of pounds to a major donor accused of making racist comments about a high-profile black lawmaker.
Businessman Frank Hester, 57, is alleged to have said that Diane Abbott – Britain’s longest-serving black MP – made him “want to hate all black women” and that she “should be shot”. The comments emerged as UK PM Sunak pledged to crack down on extremism, and with increasing concern about the safety of MPs, after two were murdered in recent years and others facing threats and intimidation.
Guardian, which broke the story on Monday, reported that Hester made the comments during a meeting at his company’s headquarters in 2019. In a follow-up story on Tuesday, it wrote that Hester had also said “no room for the Indians” during a crowded meeting, and suggested that they “climb on the roof, like on the roof of the train there”. Hester has admitted making “rude” comments about Abbott, but claimed that they had “nothing to do with her gender nor colour of skin”.
Sunak took more than 24 hours to condemn the remarks. But he told parliament on Wednesday: “They were racist and he (Hester) has rightly apologised and that remorse should be accepted.” “There’s no place for racism in Britain and the govt that I lead is living proof of that.”
Opposition Labour party has called for the Tories to return £10 million donated by Hester, CEO of software firm Phoenix Partnership. “If Sunak had anything about him, if he had any backbone, he would pay that money back today,” Labour MP Jonathan Ashworth said. Sunak is also coming under pressure from of his own party. “I would think about the company I kept and I would give that money back,” Andy Street, Conservative mayor of the West Midlands, said. Sunak, though, rejected calls to repay the money.
Businessman Frank Hester, 57, is alleged to have said that Diane Abbott – Britain’s longest-serving black MP – made him “want to hate all black women” and that she “should be shot”. The comments emerged as UK PM Sunak pledged to crack down on extremism, and with increasing concern about the safety of MPs, after two were murdered in recent years and others facing threats and intimidation.
Guardian, which broke the story on Monday, reported that Hester made the comments during a meeting at his company’s headquarters in 2019. In a follow-up story on Tuesday, it wrote that Hester had also said “no room for the Indians” during a crowded meeting, and suggested that they “climb on the roof, like on the roof of the train there”. Hester has admitted making “rude” comments about Abbott, but claimed that they had “nothing to do with her gender nor colour of skin”.
Sunak took more than 24 hours to condemn the remarks. But he told parliament on Wednesday: “They were racist and he (Hester) has rightly apologised and that remorse should be accepted.” “There’s no place for racism in Britain and the govt that I lead is living proof of that.”
Opposition Labour party has called for the Tories to return £10 million donated by Hester, CEO of software firm Phoenix Partnership. “If Sunak had anything about him, if he had any backbone, he would pay that money back today,” Labour MP Jonathan Ashworth said. Sunak is also coming under pressure from of his own party. “I would think about the company I kept and I would give that money back,” Andy Street, Conservative mayor of the West Midlands, said. Sunak, though, rejected calls to repay the money.