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According to The Independent, Diane Abbott has taken action with the police against the Conservative Party’s largest contributor for allegedly making a statement that she should be shot.
A Member of Parliament has officially reported a complaint to the Metropolitan Police’s liaison and investigation unit. This complaint was prompted by Frank Hester, who donated £10 million to the Conservative Party in the previous year, allegedly making a string of inflammatory remarks about the MP. One such remark was that she incited him to “hate all Black women.”
A Tory conflict arose over the uproar, as minister Kemi Badenoch went against senior colleagues by labeling Mr Hester’s alleged comments as “racist.”
Both former Conservative leader William Hague and ex-chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng expressed disapproval of the businessman’s comments, using similar language. However, initially, Downing Street did not classify the comments as racist.
The following day, the prime minister’s representative stated that the remarks were “incorrect and discriminatory”, one day after the initial dispute began.
The shocking disclosure occurred when:
- Ms Abbott, who is currently suspended by Labour, described Mr Hester’s reported comments as “frightening”
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It seems that Mr. Hester indicated that the comments were meant to be lighthearted and were not intended to offend anyone.
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A former adviser to Boris Johnson from Downing Street, who is Black, stated that Mr. Hester should utilize his financial resources to combat racism as a form of reparations.
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Two officials declined to denounce the purported statements as being racially discriminatory.
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Baroness Chakrabarti urged the prime minister to address issues within his own administration before critiquing others on matters of extremism.
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The Labour and Liberal Democrat parties urged the Conservative party to give back Mr Hester’s contribution.
According to sources, Mr. Hester, the CEO of TPP, commented on a female executive from a different company saying, “It’s similar to trying to avoid being racist, but whenever you see Diane Abbott on TV, you can’t help but hate all Black women just because she’s there.”
“I do not have hatred towards all black women, but I do believe she should be shot. The executive and Diane Abbott deserve to be shot.”
He ultimately confessed to making “offensive” remarks about Ms Abbott, but clarified that they were not related to her gender or race.
However, Ms. Abbott, the longest-serving Black MP in Britain, released a statement on Tuesday morning expressing concern over the reported remarks.
“It’s scary. I reside in Hackney and don’t have a car, so on weekends, I often take the bus or walk to my destinations, more frequently than most MPs,” she stated.
“I am an unattached female, making me susceptible. However, hearing someone speak in such a manner causes concern.”
She stated, “Throughout my time as an MP, I have prioritized avoiding a secluded lifestyle and instead, socializing with everyday individuals. The fact that two MPs have been violently killed in recent years only intensifies the concern raised by this conversation.”
After being asked, both Tory ministers Mel Stride and Graham Stuart did not explicitly acknowledge that the comments made on Tuesday morning were racist. Mr. Stride stated that he criticized the remarks, but did not believe they were targeting a specific gender or race. Mr. Stuart, when pressed on whether he considered the comments racist, responded that he found them completely unacceptable and was hesitant to label them specifically as racist.
The spokesperson for the PM declined to respond to inquiries about whether the reported remarks about Ms. Abbott could be considered racist, stating only that they would be considered unacceptable. It was not until this evening that Number 10 took a stance.
The spokesperson for Mr. Sunak stated that the reported remarks by Frank Hester were racist and incorrect. Hester has now issued a sincere apology for the harm caused and it should be acknowledged when genuine remorse is displayed.
As the first British-Asian Prime Minister to lead one of the most diverse Cabinets in UK history, the Prime Minister strongly denounces racism in public life. The UK serves as a testament to this belief.
However, Ms Badenoch, the secretary of business and minister of equalities, emerged to publicly denounce Mr Hester’s remarks as “unacceptable” and “discriminatory”.
She expressed that the remarks made by Hester in 2019 were racist. I appreciate his apology. Abbott and I may have conflicting views, but the notion that criticizing her is equivalent to attacking her as a black woman is abhorrent.
Using someone’s race to judge their opinions is never okay. Members of Parliament have a challenging task of considering various interests, especially when facing intimidation, as we witnessed in a recent parliamentary incident. Some individuals may make careless remarks without understanding the gravity of the situation. That is why it is important to allow room for forgiveness when there is genuine remorse.
Mr Sunak was also at odds with former Tory leader Lord Hague, who also highlighted Mr Hester’s “fulsome apology”, but told Times Radio: “The comment, connecting, dislike of Diane Abbott with racial characteristics. Well, that is racist.”
Mr Kwarteng said Mr Hester’s comments were “clearly racist and clearly sexist”. He told BBC Politics Live: “They are clearly racist and they are clearly sexist… they were very stupid remarks.”
I apologize for the inconvenience I have caused to Ms. Abbott and have attempted to personally apologize by calling her twice, as stated in a statement from Mr. Hester’s company on Monday.
“Frank Hester accepts that he was rude about Diane Abbot in a private meeting several years ago but his criticism had nothing to do with her gender nor colour of skin,” the statement said.
According to a statement, Mr. Hester strongly condemns racism due to his personal experience as the child of Irish immigrants during the 1970s. He affirmed that he believes racism is a harmful influence that should not be tolerated in society. In regards to a request from the BBC, a representative for Mr. Hester stated that the statement does not confirm the reported quotes in The Guardian.
Mr. Hester released a statement that seemed to imply his remarks were said in jest rather than intending to offend.
Sir Keir Starmer criticized the reported comments, praising Ms Abbott for being a pioneering figure who has paved the path for others and has likely endured more ongoing abuse throughout her political career than any other politician.
The Labour leader condemned the reported comments as “extremely hateful” and stated on ITV’s Lorraine show: “I do not believe the apology this morning is genuine, as it tries to deny any racism or sexism behind the words. I disagree and believe it is necessary for the Conservative Party to acknowledge and return the funds.”
Shami Chakrabati, a Labour peer and friend of Ms Abbott, said the Hackney MP was “anxious” and “upset” by Mr Hester’s alleged comments.
Baroness Chakrabarti expressed strong emotions in an interview with BBC’s World at One, stating “If Mr. Hester truly used these specific words in that specific order, it is extremely concerning and hateful to make such statements about Diane and all black women, and to mention being shot.”
She stated: “For many decades, as the first black woman MP in our country, she has endured a lot. Prime Minister, our first non-white Prime Minister, I urge you to take action on this matter.”
Last week, you stood on the steps of Downing Street and declared your intent to address extremism. We have Mr. Gove who will be providing a new, comprehensive definition of extremism.
“Their party leaders choose to ignore the divisive politics at play within their ranks, instead of addressing it directly.”
Samuel Kasumu, who belongs to the Tory party and is an author, stated that Mr Hester’s apology was insufficient. He suggested that Mr Hester should demonstrate his regret for his remarks about the Labour MP by utilizing his time and resources.
MP for Liverpool Riverside, Kim Johnson, is a part of the all-party parliamentary group on race and referred to Ms. Abbott as a “trailblazer” who should be respected.
According to her, Frank Hester’s comments were not simply “unfortunate”. Instead, they were undoubtedly influenced by Diane Abbott’s gender and race, as well as those of all Black women.
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The Conservative Party’s allies, in an attempt to prioritize financial gain over supporting women who experience racism and abuse, are attempting to downplay Frank Hester’s blatant displays of racism.
“Among all the members of Parliament, Diane, who has been heavily criticized, stands out as a pioneering figure, blazing a trail for numerous Black female MPs like myself. She deserves our utmost respect.”
A representative from the Metropolitan Police stated that on March 11th, they were notified by the Parliamentary Liaison and Investigation Team regarding a report about a Member of Parliament that was published in the Guardian. The matter is being evaluated and the Metropolitan Police is working with West Yorkshire Police as the alleged incident is believed to have occurred in Leeds. The Parliamentary Liaison and Investigation Team continue to maintain communication with the MP.
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