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A Tory minister has said his party would take another \u00a310m from a donor who allegedly made comments about Diane Abbott that No 10 called “racist”.<\/b><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n
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Donor Frank Hester apologised after reportedly saying the ex-Labour MP made him want to “hate all black women”.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Andy Street, a Tory mayor, told the BBC that he would return the cash.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Post Office minister Kevin Hollinrake however said that his party would accept more because Mr Hester’s apology demonstrated he was not racist.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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The disagreement within the party comes as Downing Street faces calls to return the money.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Mr Street, the Conservative mayor of the West Midlands, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “I would think about the company I kept and I would give that money back. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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“I have to give you my view, rather than what the party should do, but I’ve thought about how I would handle that situation.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Mr Hollinrake however told BBC Breakfast that his party would accept another \u00a310m from him, “on the basis that we don’t believe Mr Hester’s a racist.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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“If Mr Hester was a racist, if he refused to apologise for what he’d said, that would be different. He’s apologised,” he said. “I don’t believe he’s a racist.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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\n- Tory donor accused of racist Diane Abbott remarks<\/li>\n
- Minister defends donor over Abbott remarks<\/li>\n
- Abbott calls Tory donor’s comments frightening<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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The disagreements over returning Mr Hester’s money comes after a day of internal party turbulence over Mr Hester’s comments, first reported by the Guardian on Monday.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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In 2019 Mr Hester allegedly said: “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.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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In further remarks reported by the newspaper from the same meeting, the Phoenix Partnership boss is claimed to have said that there was “no room for the Indians, then?” and suggested staff climb on a train roof.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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In a social media post, published earlier, Mr Hester said he “abhors racism”, which he described as a “poison that has no place in public life”.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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He added: “We should have the confidence to discuss our differences openly and even playfully without seeking to cause offence.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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The BBC has not heard a recording, or been able to independently verify the alleged remarks.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Ms Abbott, who is currently suspended from sitting as a Labour MP, said the comments were “frightening”.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Downing Street initially declined to describe his comments as racist.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n