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.

‘Stupid’ makes it sounds like a slip up, like he wasn’t wrong to say it just silly to get caught, like he doesn’t know any better. I don’t like that.

Must say, though, I do wonder about these people who keep making comments in 'private meetings' and then are dismayed/surprised/ upset when it would appear these meetings aren't actually private.

I could bet who he is upset at - and I'd bet it isn't himself.

Ive been thinking about this a lot, initially 'why did he think he could get away with saying something so awful' but now I'm thinking that he didn't just think he could say it and get away with it, he must have known a fair proportion of people hearing him would actually agree with him and THAT is far more frightening, what on earth is going on in this country these days.

Yep, Thatcher mentality, nothing is morally wrong unless someone finds out.

JFC! The whataboutery on here is mind boggling. The man's comments are racist and misogynistic, not to mention inciting violence (hello! Shooting someone....?) it doesn't matter who they were said about.

It doesn't take much for the mask to slip does it?

Surely there must be something he can be charged with? Incitement?

This has a name .

It's called 'canteen culture'

It was initially a study done about the culture of sexism and racism in the Met police but is now used in a more generalised fashion for the idea of workplace toxicity.

It would seem Hester was wrong in his assumptions about at least one person in the room, though.

Absolutely DISGUSTING.

Mel Stride on Sky News stating he doesn't think it was a gender based or race based comment

https://x.com/SkyNews/status/1767482698946228510?s=20

"I don't think what he was saying was a gender based or race based comment"

Work and Pensions Sec, @MelJStride addresses reported "inappropriate" comments made by Tory donor, Frank Hester about Labour MP, Diane Abbott in 2019

Yup. Nothing but total condemnation is acceptable.

@IClaudine indeed 🤬

I just knew these posts would start to appear. It's always the same when Diane Abbot is in the news and it's a disgrace that people can't just call it out for what it is. Those people saying she's 'vile' or 'stupid' should be ashamed.

This is the core thinking of the current Tory party. I look at Patel, Braverman, Kwarteng, Cleverly et al and wonder what they're thinking. Do they believe 'they mean those other, different, people over there, not me"? Do they believe they're special and are breaking barriers that others can't? If I can see the covert - and increasingly overt - racism and hatred that propels the divisive policies of that Party then so can they. Shame on the whole bunch of them, the whole membership, regardless of ethnicity.

For a small group of racist white men Diane Abbott is their worst nightmare. An educated articulate black woman who will call out their behaviour. She is vilified far more because she is black and female rather than left wing. I am no supporter of her politics but this is racist shite. Simple as.

There are plenty of aspects of Diane Abbott's political views, character and even her perceived abilities that are legitimate subject for debate. But the abuse this woman receives is awful. Think what you want of her politically, but as a person she is a pioneer as a black woman in parliament, she put herself out there in a period of time where her position truly was the exception, standing up for what she thought was right and deserves admiration.

I agree. It is a disgrace, it really is. Just pure unadulterated racism.

All the racists are frothing on Twitter too.

My heart goes out to her today. I hope she has lots of support and love around her right now.

This is so disgusting. I am actually shocked.
Yet there are some who will claim that black women do not face racism and that they simply have ‘ a chip on their shoulder’ or are playing ‘the race card’
This comment has actually compromised
Dianne Abbot’s safety. Have we not learned from the murder of Jo Cox by a right wing extremist.?
It is almost as though Dianne Abbot is seen as fair game when racists want to spout their vileness.

Not just men. Look at some of the comments on here. Some posters just can't bring themselves to condemn Hester's racism without insulting Abbott.

Totally agree

Absolutely it's appalling he is actually saying this black woman should be shot.
This country is failing so many people.
Stand up and call this out, stop with the well she's not a nice woman comments but it's wrong to say that.
It's just bloody horrendous to say that about any human being whatever sex or race they are.
It's HATE speech.
Sunak the spineless will no doubt put out some bullshit but keep the money. He's probably spent it anyway.
I'm disgusted that this is happening in the UK today. So much for Sunaks recent speech.
Christ come the GE really think who you want to represent you. The tories are the lowest of the low only care for themselves and their cronies and always will.
Poor Diane I hope she is OK. This must be so frightening for her.

Diane, you’ve been an inspiration to women of colour for years and years. This buffoon doesn’t deserve to be mentioned in the same sentence as you.

Where’s your Cambridge degree? It wasn’t an MP who said it. It was a donor who’s dropped £10 million into the Tory coffers - out of the £400 million of taxpayers’ money he’s trousered.

Absolutely bloody disgraceful. Yet another nail in the Tory coffin.

Any poster who refuses to fully condemn this man is part of the problem .
You should be ashamed of yourselves.

Yeah that's incredible.

He points out that she's both black and a woman, compares her unfavorably to other black women and it definitely 100% had nothing to do with race or gender.

That's about as bad as the initial comment

Really? A woman who has been relected as an MP since 1987 by her constituents lacks intelligence? Think about how daft that sounds. She’s clearly a very capable woman. I think the press have a got a lot to answer for, she gets more negative press and abuse than many other MPs and you do have to wonder if that is to do with her colour.