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Diane Abbott criticized both the Conservatives and Labour, claiming that both parties displayed “shocking” racism in the Tory donor scandal.
The MP, who sits as an independent and was dragged into the centre of the race row, turned her fire on Sir Keir Starmer and Rishi Sunak after the pair clashed over the issue at PMQs on Wednesday.
Sunak has declined to return a £10m contribution given by Frank Hester, despite Hester’s reported remarks about Abbott inciting hatred towards all Black women and suggesting she be shot.
Rephrasing: In an article for The Independent, the longest-serving Black MP in Britain condemned his remarks as “reprehensibly racist and sexist.” He also expressed his belief that the Tory party has a history of fueling racism in the country, including towards himself.
Abbott criticized Starmer and the Labour party for their handling of racism issues.
She also criticized Sir Keir, stating that she is disappointed with the current leadership of the Labour Party’s reluctance to address racism and sexism at the beginning.
“However, the main controversy revolved around the demand for the Tories to return Hester’s money, which may not be the central issue in this situation.”
Ms. Abbott, a member of the Labour Party for over 30 years until her suspension last year, stated that her former party did not initially identify Mr. Hester’s alleged remarks towards her as being racist and sexist.
She proceeded to denounce the “appalling instances of racism and sexism within the Labour Party, much of which was directed towards me.”
The individual, Mr Hester, has expressed remorse for his impolite behavior towards Ms Abbott. He attempted to reach out to her twice in order to speak to her directly. However, he maintains that he is not misogynistic or discriminatory.
On Tuesday night, after facing criticism for nearly a full day from various political parties – including from Kemi Badenoch, the business secretary, and Kwasi Kwarteng, former chancellor – the prime minister denounced the reported remarks as “racially biased.”
However, Mr Sunak is being urged to repay the funds from the entrepreneur, following his statement on Wednesday that Mr Hester’s regrets should be acknowledged.
Sources from the Labour party emphasized that they were prompt in denouncing the Conservative donor. They referred to a statement made by Wes Streeting, the shadow health secretary, who deemed Mr Hester’s statements as being racially biased on Monday night.
The previous chairman of the Conservative Party, Chris Patten, declared that it was undeniable that the party should return the £10 million donation to Mr Hester.
Frank Hester attempted to reach out to Diane Abbott in order to offer an apology.
The decision to accept Mr. Hester’s money is causing tensions within the Tory party, as evidenced by criticism from the Scottish Conservatives. They are also calling for a review of the decision.
The representative for the Scottish branch of the Conservative Party stated that the statements made were both racist and incorrect. The Scottish Conservative Party has never received any financial contributions from Frank Hester, and the Conservative Party in the UK should thoroughly examine any donations they have received from Hester in light of his remarks.
In the meantime, Andy Street, the mayor of the West Midlands who is often referred to as the most influential Conservative figure outside of London, stated on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that if he had received a contribution from Mr. Hester, he would reevaluate his associations and return the money.
The business minister, Nus Ghani, also shared her dissatisfaction, stating on Twitter that “in today’s politics, ‘zero tolerance on racism’ is nothing but a hollow slogan.”
The Labour Party urged for the return of the funds, with Sir Keir questioning Mr Sunak on the threshold for when a donor would be deemed unworthy of their donation. He proposed that even if a donor made racist or misogynistic threats, the prime minister should stand up to them and return the £10 million they contributed.
Rishi Sunak supported his decision to keep the £10 million donation during Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday.
Mr Sunak’s spokesperson said the PM was “acutely aware” of the unacceptable abuse that Ms Abbott has suffered over the course of her career.
Liberal Democrat deputy leader Daisy Cooper said she was writing to every Conservative MP to urge them not accept “tainted” money from Mr Hester.
When asked about Mr Hester’s remarks during his appearance before the Treasury select committee on Wednesday, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt stated that it would be incorrect to ostracize the donor for comments he has made in the past and has since apologized for.
Labour Party chair Anneliese Dodds stated: “The Scottish Tories are acknowledging what we are all aware of: receiving millions of pounds from Frank Hester is morally unacceptable.”
Ms Abbott made an additional claim that speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle did not prioritize the Commons or democracy by not allowing her to speak about the matter during PMQs.
A representative for Sir Lindsay stated that he needed to focus on Members of Parliament (MPs) listed on the order paper, and there was insufficient time to address all members wishing to pose a question.
Source: independent.co.uk
