Badenoch breaks ranks to say Tory donor’s feedback about Diane Abbott are racist
Kemi Badenoch has damaged ranks to say a Tory donor’s ‘hate all black girls’ feedback about Diane Abbott are racist.
As Business Secretary, she is probably the most senior MP to have damaged ranks to name Frank Hester’s alleged feedback “racist” after the PM declined to take action. Mr Hester, who’s the Conservative Party’s greatest donor, allegedly mentioned taking a look at Ms Abbott made him “want to hate all black women” and that she “should be shot”. But Rishi Sunak declined to say whether or not it was racist, solely saying it was “unacceptable”.
Ms Badenoch mentioned: “Hester’s 2019 comments, as reported, were racist. I welcome his apology. 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 tough job balancing a number of pursuits -often underneath threats of intimidation as we noticed not too long ago in parliament. Some individuals make flippant feedback with out considering of this context. This is why there must be house for forgiveness the place there may be contrition.”
She follows Health Minister Maria Caulfield, who advised the BBC that she “personally” finds the alleged comments to be “racist” and were “not one thing we needs to be form of excusing in any manner”.
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said the comments by millionaire Tory donor Frank Hester were “clearly unacceptable” but repeatedly refused to say whether they were racist.
Mr Hester, who runs health tech firm The Phoenix Partnership (TPP), apologised last night following a report in the Guardian.
A TPP spokesperson said: “Frank Hester accepts that he was impolite about Diane Abbott in a non-public assembly a number of years in the past however his criticism had nothing to do along with her gender nor color of pores and skin. The Guardian is correct when it quotes Frank saying he abhors racism, not least as a result of he skilled it because the youngster of Irish immigrants within the 1970’s.
“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.”
