Tory donor openly states Dianne Abbot should be shot..

[VestibuleVirgin]

Frank Hestor reportedly said: “It’s like trying not to be racist but you see Diane Abbott on the TV, and you’re just like… you just want to hate all black women because she’s there.
“And I don’t hate all black women at all, but I think she should be shot.
“(The executive) and Diane Abbott need to be shot.”
https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/frank-hester-tory-donor-diane-abbott-comments-black-women-labour-b1144631.html

Abominable, disgusting. Aibu to be incecsed by this?
Money allows all sorts of behaviours apparently, particularly if you give a lot of it to a political party.

This is the material for Rosie Holt.

So if someone makes racist comments, does that make them a racist?

What a stupid thing to say..I don't like Diane Abbott but that's purely down to when she opens her mouth she damages the Labour party.

When is a racist not a racist? When they say they’re sorry and give you ten million quid.

When is a racist not a racist? When they say they’re sorry for being rude but not for being racist and give you ten million quid.

Nevermind the other woman who he'd like to get sacked although that isn't good enough, he'd rather she were dead.

Apparently, now there should be forgiveness and learning... diverse cabinet/first Hindu PM.... bollocks.

"Learning" might work for a younger person but Hester is a v wealthy businessman, a multimillion pound contract with the NHS and has significant influence within the Tory party, that only £10 million buys you.

God, is "racist but not a racist" going to be the new Tory line?

It's Orwellian.

What a racist thing to say. Call it what it is.

We’ve heard the variations - inappropriate, rude etc as people struggle to call it what it is.

Jon Kay: If Frank Hester, today, offered to give the Tory Party another £10m... would you take it?

Kevin Hollinrake: "Yes." 👀

x.com/haggis_uk/status/1767820897929297972?s=46&t=Uw4lJNwxFZFnX0Xs3doHYg

Despite further reports Hollinrake still doesn't believe Hester is racist.

Kevin Hollinrake

He also says that he would have no problem accepting another donation from Hester

The CCHQ comms team must be tearing its collective hair out. Do they have any party discipline at all?

Here is Hollinrake saying 'move on' on Sky News

https://x.com/Haggis_UK/status/1767817455039045914?s=20

Wilfred Frost: should the Tory Party return the money that Frank Hester donated

Kevin Hollinrake: "I don't think that's the right thing to do... his comments were clearly racist.. he's apologised.. I don't think we should judge his character on a private conversation... move on"

Kevin Hollinrake saying Frank Hester's remarks could be interpreted in different ways - no, Kevin, they really couldn't. And he said it twice.

Have we had "it's time to draw a line under it" yet?

Funny how none of these defences applied to Azhar Ali in Rochdale?

Strange!

One for us, another for you.....

Tbh I just think there is clearly another implosion due about funding.

They don't want to condemn Hester because Reform's vote share has doubled in six months. Some taken from the Conservatives and the Lib Dems.

Reform are of course much more "it's my opinion", "can't say anything anymore", "it was a joke".

The Conservatives will tear themselves to bits on this because they have no central voters left. And the hard right vote is dribbling away to Reform.

Ah, the Hester argument - its entirely coincidental that you picked on a black woman when a wealth of overly opinionated white men and women were available for comment.

Incidentally - she has a reputation for being one of the most effective ministers on delivery amongst both politicians and civil servants across departments. Rather like Gove. But hey, just a black woman so obviously must be there as part of a quota or something. 🙄

Nope. You crack on with your attributions in your own cause.

Post Office

Trade Deals with few economic benefits

Etc

Good talker. But not effective in my eyes.

DuncinToffee · Today 08:37

Kevin Hollinrake: "I don't think that's the right thing to do... his comments were clearly racist.. he's apologised.. I don't think we should judge his character on a private conversation... move on"

"Yes, I don't think we should judge his character on his observable character. Who does that? Eh? Eh?"

And somehow, making an abusive, racist comment is not motivated by racism.

Is that the sun rising in the West?

The party stance now very much seems to be

"He's not a racist, he just says racist things."

Annoying how many people want to talk down the victim (and/or introduce utterly irrelevant shit) rather than talk about the perpetrator.

Although Tory ministers seem cackhanded and inarticulate when they have to do the news studios after a racist news story, I think the reason is that they've been briefed not to go full-on "this is racist/islamophobic/disgraceful". They don't want to lose the voters who might be thinking about switching to Reform.

I agree.

They accepted the money before this story broke and I am sure the timing of this story is no accident. It's been sat on for a five years, then wheeled out for maximum political damage. I find that quite cynical. It's clear that whoever brought this to our attention now cares more about damaging the Tories than they care about racism or about Diane Abbott.

The party should absolutely distance themselves from him, but why give the money back? It was taken in good faith. Money is money so long as it's not from an illegal source.

I am sure the timing of this story is no accident. It's been sat on for a five years, then wheeled out for maximum political damage. I find that quite cynical.

Ah what a shame, how sad. Anything that gets this bunch of incompetent, corrupt, racist bunch of shysters out of government and asap before they do further damage to the country is all good AFAIC.

And how totally incompetent are the current Number 10 advisers? They let their MPS flounder around dissembling all day saying "It's bad but not racist" until Kemi Badenoch says it is racist and then they all start backtracking, fast.

They are about as competent as Kensington Palace PR. In other words utterly rubbish.

It’s becoming increasingly likely that the Conservatives are going to lose badly at the next election. If we give this guy 10m pounds back, we might start to see a whole wave of Tory donors deliberately saying awful things in public, as a way of trying to retrieve the money they’ve given to a losing side….!

I’m hardcore on free speech, but that comment was perilously close to actually inciting violence, so potentially crosses a line. However, I don’t think “give the guy his money back” is actually very well thought out as a response?