BLACK politicians, community leaders and large sections of the UK Black community are among those who took to social media to quickly condemn remarks by one of the ruling Conservative Party’s largest donors.
Several petitions were started seeking apologies and withdrawing his OBE, including calls to lobby parliamentarians and protest demonstrations.
On Tuesday, according to an investigation by The Guardian newspaper, a healthcare technology entrepreneur, Frank Hester, commented in 2019 at a meeting held at his company’s offices, The Phoenix Partnership, that Diana Abbott, the first Black woman elected to Parliament, made him “want to hate all Black women” and that she “should be shot.”
After the publication of the remarks, a statement from TPP said Hester “accepts that he was rude about Diane Abbott in a private meeting several years ago, but his criticism had nothing to do with her gender nor colour of skin”.
The statement added: “He rang Diane Abbott twice today to try to apologise directly for the hurt he has caused her and is deeply sorry for his remarks.”
He stated that the comments were made five years ago, and things were different.
Five years ago, Diane Abbott was the (SHADOW) HOME SECRETARY, a role considered the 2nd or 3rd most powerful within a party. His comments were, therefore, a strike at the power a Black woman might have in Govt.
Bell Ribeiro-Addy MP said,” If you wonder why people keep making comments like this about Diane Abbott, it’s because the political and media class have normalised her abuse.” Continuing, “The cynical shock is nauseating because they don’t really care. They made this situation, but only Diane must live with it daily. Where is the robust defence against racism and misogyny?”
Amnesty International researchers in 2017 found she received 45 per cent of all abusive messages on Twitter sent to female MPs. During six months, her tweets were monitored, and she received more abuse than all female Conservative and SNP parties combined.
Keir Starmer, the Labour Opposition leader, said, “The comments about Diane Abbott are just abhorrent. Diane has been a trailblazer. She has paved the way for others; she has faced more abuse than any other politician over the years on a sustained basis.
“And I’m sorry, this apology this morning that is pretending that what was said wasn’t racist or anything to do with the fact she’s a woman, I don’t buy that, I’m afraid, and I think that it’s time the Tory party called it out and returned the money.”
Many Black MPs uttered their annoyance. Tory Kemi Badenoch, the business secretary, In a statement on X on Tuesday, 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 is never acceptable to conflate someone’s views with the colour of their skin.
Kwasi Kwarteng, who served as Britain’s first Black chancellor under Liz Truss, said the remarks were “clearly” racist and sexist, noting: “I think Diane was right to point out the call to violence, even in a flippant way, is really inappropriate.”
Florence Eshalomi, Labour MP for Vauxhall, “This is absolutely disgusting and disgraceful. So, she should be ‘shot’ just because she is a Black woman. You may disagree with someone, not share their views and opinions, but to incite racist hate is totally unacceptable.”
Dawn Butler, Labour MP for Brent Central, wrote: “This vile man has now been bombarding Diane with messages. You cannot be selective about MP’s safety because this racist gives you £10m! Diane is now being hounded. This is unacceptable. If anyone knows him, ask him to STOP.”
These sustained attacks finally led to a statement released in the evening by a spokesperson for the prime minister, which said: “The comments allegedly made by Frank Hester were racist and wrong. He has now rightly apologised for the offence caused, and where remorse is shown, it should be accepted.
Former Labour frontbencher Diane Abbott said she had been left ‘frightened’ today.
Abbott was a Labour MP for more than 35 years until she was suspended by the party in April last year after suggesting that Jewish, Irish and Traveller people were not subject to racism “all their lives”. She is awaiting a decision on whether she will be reinstated.
