Government Adviser Says Tories Should “Cut Ties” With Donor Over Race Row

The government's independent adviser on antisemitism has said the Conservatives should "cut ties" with its biggest donor who reportedly made racist remarks about MP Diane Abbott.

On Monday The Guardian reported that Frank Hester – the Conservative party's biggest donor, donating £10m to the Conservative party in the last year – made the remarks during a work meeting in 2019. 

During the meeting he reportedly said he believed Abbott, the UK's longest serving black MP, "should be shot" and that the MP made him "want to hate all black women". 

“It’s like trying not to be racist but you see Diane Abbott on the TV and you’re just like, I hate, 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," Hester reportedly said. Hester has publicly apologised for the remarks, conceding they were "rude" but claiming his comments "had nothing to do with her gender nor colour of skin". 

Lord John Mann, the government's independent adviser on antisemitism who has also worked closely with House of Commons Speaker Lindsay Hoyle on MP safety, described Hester's reported remarks as “dehumanising” and “dangerous” to both Abbott and to “many people of colour”.

Mann said that any party dealing with remarks like Hester’s should be “on the front foot” and “spelling out the home truth” – urging the Conservatives to “cut ties” with the donor.

“The only solution that a political party can make is to totally distance themselves in every way from the perpetrator of this abuse - whichever party they're in - and if they're a member, expel them,” said Mann.

“And if they're donor, give their money to charity. There's no ambiguity about these remarks, it's not even for debate."

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