Minister warns towards ‘cancelling’ Tory donors amid alleged remarks about Diane Abbott | Politics Information

A minister has refused to say if the Conservatives ought to return cash to one in every of its largest donors, after stories Frank Hester mentioned former Labour MP Diane Abbott made him “need to hate all black girls”.

The allegations in regards to the chief govt of The Phoenix Partnership – who donated £10m to the Tories final yr – emerged within the Guardian on Monday, with the newspaper additionally claiming he mentioned Ms Abbott “needs to be shot”.

In an announcement posted on X, Mr Hester admitted he had made “impolite” feedback about Ms Abbott, for which he was “deeply sorry”, however mentioned they’d “nothing to do along with her gender nor color of pores and skin”.

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Vitality minister Graham Stuart closely criticised the reported remarks, telling Sky Information they had been “clearly reprehensible”, “really terrible”, and Mr Hester was “completely proper to apologise”.

Nevertheless, requested whether or not the Conservatives ought to return his donation, he mentioned: “We won’t cancel anyone from participation in public life or certainly donating to events as a result of they mentioned one thing intemperate and flawed of their previous.”

Mr Stuart added: “It isn’t my determination. However I do welcome those that help the Conservative Celebration to make sure that we’ve Rishi Sunak, after all, our first Hindu prime minister, [in office].”

Pushed over whether or not he welcomed donations from the likes of Mr Hester, the minister mentioned: “I am saying that I welcome those that contribute, and I am not right here to sit down in judgement on one comment.”

However he additionally insisted he was “not remotely tempted to attempt to defend” the alleged feedback from the donor.

Liberal Democrat chief whip Wendy Chamberlain mentioned Mr Stuart’s look was “merely jaw-dropping”, including: “The Conservative Celebration has flat out refused to return these donations regardless of these feedback being inexcusable. How low are you able to go?

“Rishi Sunak can bunker down and conceal in Downing Road so long as he desires however every single day he does not return this cash is one other damning blow to the Conservative Celebration’s credibility.”

Electoral Fee information present Mr Hester donated £10m to the Tories final yr, together with a £5m donation to Rishi Sunak that got here from him personally and one other £5m that got here from his healthcare software program agency in November.

Chair of the Labour Celebration, Anneliese Dodds, known as on the Conservatives to return the cash “directly”, including: “Rishi Sunak has claimed that ‘phrases matter’, and he should know that holding on to that cash would counsel the Conservatives condone these disturbing feedback. Sunak should return each penny.”

Sky Information has contacted Ms Abbott for a response.