Tory Party Accepts Another £5 Million From Donor Who Said Diane Abbott 'Should Be Shot'

Diane Abbott
Diane Abbott via Associated Press

The Tories have accepted another £5 million from a wealthy businessman who said Diane Abbott made him “want to hate all black women” and “should be shot”.

It takes the amount of money the party has received from Frank Hester to £20 million.

Figures released on Thursday morning by the Electoral Commission show that the latest donation, from Hester’s firm Phoenix Partnership, was accepted by the Conservatives on May 17, just days before Rishi Sunak called the election.

The Guardian reported in March that Hester had made the comments about Abbott, parliament’s first black female MP, in 2019.

After ministers initially refused to condemn him, a No10 spokesman eventually said in a statement: “The comments allegedly made by Frank Hester were racist and wrong.”

Hester later said he was “sorry” for the “rude” comments he made about Abbott.

The latest donation came after he gave the Tories £5m in January and a a total of £10m last year.

HuffPost UK has contacted the Conservative Party for comment.

A Labour source told HuffPost UK: “The Tories election campaign was funded by cash from a man who made abhorrent, racist comments.

“The Conservatives have offered no apology and they have no shame.

“If the Tories want to show the public that they’ve learnt anything from their staggering election defeat they should start by committing to never taking any money from Frank Hester again.”

Related...