Tory donor under fire
The Conservative Party accepted a donation of £150,000 from a millionaire donor, Frank Hester, despite accusations of racist comments made about Labour's Diane Abbott. Hester had previously stated that Abbott "should be shot" in 2019.
Controversial donation
Hester, who donated £5 million to the Tories in January through his company, increased his total contributions to over £15 million. This move sparked outrage from Abbott, who described it as an insult to "all black women."
Reaction from political figures
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak faced criticism for accepting the donation, especially after initially failing to label Hester's remarks as racist. Despite eventually condemning the comments, Sunak defended Hester's remorse and did not return the money as demanded by some.
Continued controversy
Labour Party chairwoman Anneliese Dodds called out Sunak for lacking integrity and urged him to sever ties with Hester, return the money, and issue a proper apology to Diane Abbott. However, a Tory spokesperson maintained that the matter was resolved as Hester had apologized for his past comments.
