Posted by 
A cabinet minister has been condemned after he said people need to “move on” from a race row engulfing the Tory Party’s biggest donor.
Frank Hester, who gave the Conservatives £10 million last year, reportedly saidDiane Abbott made him “want to hate all black women” and that she “should be shot”.
But work and pensions secretary Mel Stride said that while the remarks were “inappropriate”, it was not “a gender-based or a race-based comment”.wes
He added: “He has apologised and I think we need to move on from that.”
Shadow health secretary Wes Streeting said Stride’s response showed the Tory Party was “rotten to its core and unfit for office”.
“You just want to hate all black women because she’s there”
One day, when they’ve left office, ministers like Mel Stride will regret debasing themselves like this.
It does show that the Conservative Party is rotten to its core and unfit for office. https://t.co/tVbxKPvSX3
— Wes Streeting MP (@wesstreeting) March 12, 2024
Former Tory adviser Sam Freedman said: “This line is so appalling that it can only be in use because Hester is demanding that they stick to his line.
“Mel Stride is not a stupid person. There is no way he thinks this is a good or reasonable line.”
Stride’s colleague, Graham Stuart, also tried to defend Hester this morning by pointing out he made his comments “half a decade ago”.
Asked if the Tories should hand back the money Hester gave them, he said: “We can’t cancel anybody from participation in public life, or indeed donating to parties because they said something intemperate and wrong in their past.
“It’s not my decision, but I do welcome those who support the Conservative Party to ensure that we have Rishi Sunak – our first Hindu prime minister.”
Related…
