| Topic: Frank Hester - Tory donor |
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| 1. Author: wee eck Date: Tue 12th Mar 2024. 11:40 He said looking at Diane Abbott makes you ‘want to hate all black women’. He has issued a statement saying he accepted he was “rude” about Abbott in a private meeting, but that “his criticism had nothing to do with her gender nor colour of skin”. He cites all sorts of practices at his businesses which prove he is not racist or sexist but the offending statement seems to me to be the epitome of both racism and sexism! Reply |
| 2. Author: The One Who Knocks Date: Tue 12th Mar 2024. 12:11 Worst than that Wee Eck, he also said she should be shot! And although my eyes were open They just might as well be closed Reply |
| 3. Author: wee eck Date: Tue 12th Mar 2024. 12:24 You`re right, TOWK. `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.` Reply |
| 4. Author: DBP Date: Tue 12th Mar 2024. 12:27 The comments (as reported) are clearly racist, sexist and totally out of order I’ll keep to see rushaks response, given his lecture recently on words matter etc - and would also like to know what the guy is getting for his £10m? Reply |
| 5. Author: wee eck Date: Tue 12th Mar 2024. 12:43 A spokesman for the PM said what Hester said was `unacceptable` but wouldn`t be drawn on whether it was racist. As to what he got for his money - Hester, a businessman from West Yorkshire, runs a healthcare technology firm, the Phoenix Partnership (TPP), which has been paid more than £400m by the NHS and other government bodies since 2016, primarily to look after 60m UK medical records. He has profited from £135m of contracts with the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) in less than four years. It could be purely coincidental of course! Reply |
| 6. Author: DBP Date: Tue 12th Mar 2024. 12:47 Sounds like he got a bargain! Reply |
| 7. Author: LochgellyAlbert Date: Tue 12th Mar 2024. 15:17 Surely the £10 million donation had anything to do with the NHS contract?🤔💩💩💩 Amazingly the BBC news failed to mention his involvement in the NHS!🤬 Reply |
| 8. Author: Buspasspar Date: Tue 12th Mar 2024. 16:42 I would shoot the rich white Tory B@stard :-)) We are forever shaped by the Children we once were Reply |
| 9. Author: wee eck Date: Tue 12th Mar 2024. 17:07 Hester has made a statement today in his defence. The first paragraph is what he claims he said to staff at the same meeting where he made the comments about Dianne Abbott :- “For me, racism is a hatred and a fear of the other. For me, it is exactly the same as homophobia - it’s not limited to the colour of your skin, it is not limited to religion, it can just be the country next door. It can be northerners and southerners, which we have here.” I can confirm that this is an accurate reflection of my view that hatred of others based on race, religion, gender, sexuality or geography is odious and disgusting and that racism - in particular - is a poison that has no place in public life. The UK benefits immensely from the rich diversity of people - like my parents - who had roots in another land, religion and culture. We should celebrate those differences which have made us the world’s most successful multi-ethnic, multi-faith democracy. And we should have the confidence to discuss our differences openly and even playfully without seeking to cause offence. I`m sure I`m not the only one wondering how these comments are compatible with what he said about Dianne Abbott which he hasn`t denied apparently. Reply |
| 10. Author: LochgellyAlbert Date: Tue 12th Mar 2024. 18:15 You have to wonder about some Tory ministers whose parents were immigrants, must be in their DNA!🤔 Reply |
| 11. Author: wee eck Date: Tue 12th Mar 2024. 19:29 Downing Street has finally conceded that the statement was racist but PMQs should be interesting tomorrow. Reply |
| 12. Author: jake89 Date: Tue 12th Mar 2024. 21:04 So a week ago we had Sunak call a special meeting to tell us about the threat of hatred from the likes of Galloway but his party are taking money from scum like Hester? People in glass houses... Reply |
| 13. Author: red-star-par Date: Tue 12th Mar 2024. 22:14 Sunak is unbelievable, how often have we heard him try to weasel out of answering if a statement from one or his party/ backers is racist or not. Those words are clearly racist. Why can`t he just think for himself and say what it is. To say someone should be shot is disgraceful as well. The tories and their supporters are a vile bunch. They are constantly using the language of hatred and division. They are trying to incite trouble, divide and conquer tactics. They will be the first to complain the next time a tory MP gets stabbed to death. They will reap what they sow Reply |
| 14. Author: Dave_1885 Date: Tue 12th Mar 2024. 22:55 red-star-par, Tue 12 Mar 22:14 If you think the Tories and their supporters are vile just wait and see if any Reform candidates actually get a seat after next election. Their only current MP is Lee Anderson, and we all know what his views are like! Reply |
| 15. Author: Buspasspar Date: Wed 13th Mar 2024. 09:09 I noticed from the Beeb report that it was Sunak`s spokesperson who admitted it was racist remarks As wee eck says PM`s question time will be interesting .. If asked the question will Sunak admit it or will he flannel on about half inflation.. more police .. more nurses .. more people in work .. yawn We are forever shaped by the Children we once were Reply |
| 16. Author: Andrew283 Date: Wed 13th Mar 2024. 11:02 Oi Parboiled, where are you? You seem strangely absent from this thread Reply |
| 17. Author: Buspasspar Date: Wed 13th Mar 2024. 11:27 Of course they would :- A Tory minister has said his party would take another £10m from a donor who allegedly made comments about Diane Abbott that No 10 called "racist". Donor Frank Hester apologised after reportedly saying the ex-Labour MP made him want to "hate all black women". Andy Street, a Tory mayor, told the BBC that he would return the cash. Post Office minister Kevin Hollinrake however said that his party would accept more because Mr Hester`s apology demonstrated he was not racist. The disagreement within the party comes as Downing Street faces calls to return the money. Hollinrake another Tory Turd We are forever shaped by the Children we once were Reply |
| 18. Author: wee eck Date: Wed 13th Mar 2024. 11:45 There seems to be a view held by some that it is possible to make racist remarks without being a racist. I don`t get that. Reply |
| 19. Author: Buspasspar Date: Wed 13th Mar 2024. 13:04 Never even got the chance to speak .. shocking really A shake of the head from Diane Abbott as the Speaker calls the final question - indicating she will not be called. The Commons has had an extensive conversation about Abbott, without hearing from the Independent MP herself — despite her clear desire to speak. As PMQs finishes, both Stephen Flynn, the SNP Westminster leader, and Keir Starmer have gone to the back of the chamber to talk to her, as have a succession of Labour backbenchers. We are forever shaped by the Children we once were Reply |
| 20. Author: wee eck Date: Wed 13th Mar 2024. 13:44 The Scottish Tories have come out with a statement on Hester`s donation :- `These comments were racist and wrong. The Scottish Conservative Party has never accepted a donation from Frank Hester and the UK Conservative Party should carefully review the donations it has received from Hester in response to his remarks.` So the Scottish Tories have now taken a different line from UK HQ on this as well as on the extension of the windfall tax on oil companies. Could this be the start of an INDEPENDENT Scottish Tory party? Reply |