By Ben Kerrigan-
Prominent Conservative Party donor, Frank Hester is being investigated for racism directed at Diana Abbott, after the former Labour Mp retrieved a past comment in which Hestler said she made him want to hate all black women.
The emergence of these allegations has sparked a storm of controversy, prompting calls for accountability and raising broader questions about racism, political funding, and integrity within the political sphere.
Tory party members have been discussing and debating the latest developments, distancing themselves from the comments but defending the party’s integrity.
Insiders from the Conservative party anonymously told The Eye Of Media.Com that not all of Hestler’s views or comments are . representative of the party. one stating that ”politicians like people in any field, do also have divergent views on some issues. They cannot be expected to talk for the party when they go off the mark”.
One suggested Hestler might have meant to say that Ms Abbott gave black women a bad name, according to whatever issues he has against her. One suggested he meant that her negative points present a negative portrayal of black women, but declined to go into what those negative points.
Dianne Abbott is not short of critics, but has been subjected to racist abuse on twitter in the past. Those who dislike her say it is because of some of her ideologies, but others say it is because she is black. It could be a mixture of both from different groups, or just from one group.
The matter has now escalated and it could be down to an interpretation of the Mps words, or the perceived/ disputed intentions behind the words. Either way, it is causing political tension which could spill over to engulf the British public.
Calls for a return of funds already received are illogical because those funds would have been put to use before this news came to public light, but there is no argument on the shameful racist comments made by a significant contributor to the Conservative Party.
The accusations, first brought to light by The Guardian, center on remarks allegedly made by Hester during a company meeting in 2019.
According to reports, Hester’s comments implicated Abbott, suggesting she instilled feelings of hatred towards all black women and even insinuated violence by stating she “should be shot.” While Hester later expressed regret for his words, dismissing them as merely “rude,” he vehemently denied any racial or gender bias.
The revelation has ignited intense debate within Westminster, with opposition MPs demanding the return of the substantial £10 million donation made by Hester and his company, The Phoenix Partnership, to the Conservative Party since 2019
Additional reports indicate an additional £5 million contribution to Tory coffers from the same source. Despite acknowledging the racist nature of the comments, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has drawn criticism by advocating for retaining the funds, citing apologies issued and urging a collective “move on” approach.
Initially taken up by the Metropolitan Police, the investigation into these allegations has been transferred to West Yorkshire Police as the reported comments were made at a meeting in Horsforth, near Leeds.
In response to growing public outcry, a spokesperson for West Yorkshire Police affirmed ongoing inquiries, underscoring the seriousness of the allegations and urging individuals with relevant information to assist in what has been termed “Operation Brassminster.”