Downing Street Condemns Racist Remarks by Conservative Donor, Frank Hester.

Downing Street has condemned remarks made about Diane Abbott by the Conservatives’ biggest donor, describing them as “racist and wrong.” The criticism comes after senior politicians from various parties urged Rishi Sunak to intervene following reports of comments made by businessman Frank Hester in a 2019 meeting.

Initially, No 10 and Conservative ministers refrained from directly criticising Hester’s remarks, but pressure mounted throughout the day from figures such as Kemi Badenoch, Kwasi Kwarteng, and William Hague, all of whom labelled the comments as racist.

In a 2019 meeting, Conservative donor Frank Hester reportedly made derogatory comments about Diane Abbott, stating that seeing her on TV made him "want to hate all black women."

Following the publication of his remarks, Hester's company, the Phoenix Partnership (TPP), issued a statement asserting that his criticism was not based on gender or race.

Hester apologised to Abbott directly, emphasising his abhorrence of racism and expressing deep remorse for his remarks. Diane Abbott herself described the remarks as “frightening” and expressed concern about her vulnerability as a single woman. She reported the comments to the Metropolitan Police, who are assessing the complaint.

Labour leader Keir Starmer joined in condemning the remarks as “abhorrent” labelling the remarks "racist and misogynist" calling for the return of the £10m in donations made to the Conservative Party by Hester and his company.

In a statement, Downing Street acknowledged that Hester’s comments were “racist and wrong” and accepted his apology for the offence caused. The spokesperson emphasised the Prime Minister’s stance against racism and highlighted the diversity within the UK cabinet as proof of the country's commitment to combating discrimination.

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In a viral news clip from GB News, presenter Nana Akua offered her thoughts on the matter, sparking drama among viewers. She engaged in a heated exchange with Amy Nickell-Turner over whether Tory donor Frank Hester’s comments about Diane Abbott were racist. Akua argued, "When you conflate skin colour with someone’s behavior, that can be seen as racist. He doesn’t see it that way because he’s talking about her behaviour."

To this, Nickell-Turner retorted, "That makes it even more troubling!"

The clip garnered attention as Akua further stated, "I wasn't offended because I think Diane Abbott is a mess."