Tory donor's alleged Diane Abbott remarks were racist, says Kemi Badenoch

[IwantToRetire]

Ms Badenoch becomes the most senior minister to call the alleged comments racist - going further than the official government response.
Downing Street have called Mr Hester's alleged comments "unacceptable" but without specifying why.

Asked repeatedly if Rishi Sunak would describe the words as racist, the prime minister's spokeswoman said she would not get into "further characterisation".

In a social media post, Ms Badenoch, who also serves as the equalities minister, said: "Hester's 2019 comments, as reported, were racist.

"I welcome his apology. Abbott and I disagree on a lot. But the idea of linking criticism of her, to being a black woman is appalling.

"It's never acceptable to conflate someone's views with the colour of their skin."

Earlier, health minister Maria Caulfield told the BBC she considered the comments to be racist and that she would not accept a donation from Mr Hester "if he made those comments".

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-68548389

Who would turn down ten million let alone return it after your have spent it? Not of course saying that anyone has allowed the amount of money their response to the alleged comments.

I don't know why you aimed the last post at me, you said Its so boring when posters keep making these remarks about articles reflecting the views of women in the Tory party and then tries to make out we are all silly apolitical women fawning all over them. Also shows that you haven't read this thread, ie the comments about the Tories record on racims and sexism.....For the millionth time, these articles get reported because the frightened handmaidens in the Labour Party never say anything.....It is the silence of the left that is the problem before I even joined the thread. And if yoy scroll back you'll see I joined to engage with the title and was not anti Tory.

I think Badenoch's position on Hester was weak, she took too long to make a statement and then was equivocal in her condemnation. That's a shame when she's Minister for Equalities and a black MP. Those are both reasons that black people will be looking to her to stand up to racism on their behalf.