Diane Abbott 'frightened' after alleged remarks from Tory donor - as ministers refuse to call his words 'racist'

Diane Abbott has described being put in a "frightening" position after a Tory donor allegedly said she made him "want to hate all black women".

Businessman Frank Hester - who has donated over £5m to the Conservatives since 2019 - also said the former Labour MP "should be shot", according to The Guardian.

In a statement issued on his behalf on Monday, the chief executive of The Phoenix Partnership admitted to making "rude" comments about Ms Abbott, for which he was "deeply sorry", but said they had "nothing to do with her gender nor colour of skin".

In her own statement, the UK's first black woman to become an MP said she found the remarks "alarming" following the murders of fellow politicians Jo Cox in 2016 and Sir David Amess in 2021.

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"It is frightening," said Ms Abbott. "I live in Hackney and do not drive, so I find myself, at weekends, popping on a bus or even walking places more than most MPs.

"I am a single woman and that makes me vulnerable anyway. But to hear someone talking like this is worrying."

She added: "For all of my career as an MP I have thought it important not to live in a bubble, but to mix and mingle with ordinary people. The fact that two MPs have been murdered in recent years makes talk like this all the more alarming."

Tory ministers have come under the spotlight after the alleged comments from Mr Hester, with both Labour and the Liberal Democrats demanding they call them out as racist and return any donations to the businessman.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's official spokesperson said the remarks were "unacceptable", but would not say if they were racist.

Work and Pensions Secretary Mel Stride also told broadcasters the comments were "inappropriate", but added: "I think the critical point here is I don't think what he was saying was a gender-based or a race-based comment... he has apologised and I think we need to move on from that."

And while energy minister Graham Stuart called the alleged remarks "truly awful", he told Sky News' Wilfred Frost he "welcomed" those who supported his party with funds, adding: "We can't cancel anybody from participation in public life or indeed donating to parties because they said something intemperate and wrong in their past."

However, former Tory chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng said: "If he said what he is alleged to have said, I can't see how they're not racist comments."

And fellow Tory MP Marcus Fish tweeted: "On this, I side with Diane Abbott."

'Really irresponsible'

Liberal Democrat chief whip Wendy Chamberlain went further, saying: "The Conservative Party has flat out refused to return these donations despite these comments being inexcusable. How low can you go?

"Rishi Sunak can bunker down and hide in Downing Street as long as he wants, but every day he doesn't return this money is another damning blow to the Conservative Party's credibility."

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Almost 20 MPs, including Conservative Helen Grant, have now signed an early day motion - a petition MPs use to raise awareness around an issue - calling on "all leaders, including the prime minister, to condemn [Mr Hester's] remarks."

Labour London mayor Sadiq Khan said it "beggars belief" that the Tories have "failed to call out" the remarks as "racist and misogynistic".

Pointing to the remarks he faced from former Tory MP Lee Anderson in recent weeks - who claimed the mayor was controlled by "Islamists" - Mr Khan said the "British public deserve better", and called on Mr Sunak to "grow a backbone".

'More abuse than any other MP'

In her statement, Ms Abbott appealed for support from Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, who removed the whip from her last year after she suggested Jewish people did not face racism - something she later apologised for.

Appearing on ITV's Lorraine programme, Sir Keir described her as "a trailblazer [who] has paved the way for others", and said she had "probably faced more abuse than any other politician over the years on a sustained basis".

The party leader accused the Conservatives of "pretending that what was said wasn't racist or anything to do with the fact she's a woman".

He added: "I don't buy that I'm afraid, and I think that it's time the Tory Party called it out and returned the money."

Chair of the Labour Party, Anneliese Dodds, also told Sky News the party had been in touch with Ms Abbott and would "continue to make sure" her welfare was looked after.

According to the Westminster Accounts project, a joint venture between Sky News and Tortoise Media to shine a light on how money works in politics, Mr Hester's Phoenix Partnership has donated £5.1m to the Conservatives since the 2019 election.

The company also made a single donation of £15,900 to Mr Sunak. Dated 11 December 2023, the donation was categorised as "support linked to an MP but received by a local party organisation or indirectly via a central party organisation".

The prime minister's entry in the register of members' financial interests said the donation involved the "provision of [a] helicopter to fly me to a political visit and event on 23 November 2023".

Posting on X on Tuesday afternoon, Mr Hester hinted at another story about further remarks from him, saying he had confirmed to the Guardian that he told staff: "For me, racism is a hatred and a fear of the other. For me, it is exactly the same as homophobia - it's not limited to the colour of your skin, it is not limited to religion, it can just be the country next door. It can be northerners and southerners, which we have here."

In his post, Mr Hester added: "The UK benefits immensely from the rich diversity of people - like my parents - who had roots in another land, religion and culture.

"We should celebrate those differences which have made us the world's most successful multi-ethnic, multi-faith democracy. And we should have the confidence to discuss our differences openly and even playfully without seeking to cause offence."