Tory donor’s Diane Abbott comments not ‘race-based’, says senior minister

Frank Hester – a major Tory party donor – alleged comments that Diane Abbott made him “want to hate all black women” were not “race-based,” a senior minister has said. 

Mel Stride says Hester’s alleged comments “were clearly wrong” but says people should “move on.” 

Hester gave the Conservatives £10m last year. He has apologised for making “rude” comments about Abbott. 

He said his remarks “had nothing to do with her gender nor colour of skin.”

The Guardian reported on the alleged remarks made about Abbott while criticising a female executive at another organisation during a meeting at his company’s headquarters in 2019. 

The newspaper says he went on to say: “It’s like trying not to be racist but you see Diane Abbott on the TV, and you’re just like I hate, 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 executive] and Diane Abbott need to be shot.”