Kemi Badenoch first cabinet minister to describe Tory donor's alleged remarks about Diane Abbott as 'racist'
Tuesday, 12 March 2024 Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch has said alleged comments made about Diane Abbott by a Tory donor were "racist" - but that there should be "space for forgiveness".
Ministers have departed the weekly Cabinet meeting in Downing Street amid growing pressure to return the money given by a major Tory donor who has become embroiled in a race row. Conservative Party donor Frank Hester is reported to have said left-wing MP Diane Abbott "should be shot" at a meeting in...
The fact a failed asylum seeker volunteered to go to Rwanda demonstrates that claims the country is not safe are "untrue", Kemi Badenoch has said. Sky News
Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch has spoken out about the Tory donor racism row, describing the media's "relentless focus" on the controversy as "trivial." Frank Hester, one of the Conservative Party's top donors, allegedly said left-wing MP Diane Abbott "should be shot" at a private meeting in 2019. "I think this belief that we should not be able to move on and accept when someone has made an apology for historical comments and treat them as if they are contemporary is a problem," she added.
Report by Kennedyl. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn
Kemi Badenoch held a meeting with the Governor of Texas at 10 Downing Street. The Business Secretary has signed an agreement on closer trade co-operation with Texas as the Government continues to pursue state-level deals in the absence of a wider free trade agreement with the US
Report by Gluszczykm. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn
The Tory mayor of the West Midlands is sending voters an endorsement from Boris Johnson which urges people to "forget about the government", Sky News can reveal. Sky News
Labour leader Keir Starmer has welcomed Dan Poulter to his party, saying his defection speaks for many Tory voters.
Mr Poulter, who is also a doctor, said he is unable to provide NHS patients with quality treatment due to the Tory's mismanagement of the health service. Report by Alibhaiz. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn
Labour's deputy campaign co-ordinator, Ellie Reeves, has said there is 'chaos and infighting' within the Conservative Party ahead of the local elections this week. Report by Alibhaiz. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn
Work and Pensions Secretary Mel Stride has said he is 'bemused' by Dan Poulter's comments that the Conservatives have become a 'nationalist party of the right'.
The former health minister and mental health doctor announced he would be defecting to Labour as he could no longer look his NHS colleagues, patients and constituents in the eye. Report by Alibhaiz. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn
Labour’s Jonathan Ashworth urges Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to "grow a backbone" and pay back the £10 million donated by Frank Hester after the businessman reportedly made racist comments about black MP Diane Abbott. Report by Blairm. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn
Transport Secretary Mark Harper declines to say whether Frank Hester has donated an extra five million pounds to the Conservative Party, refusing to comment on "hypothetical" questions. Mr Hester allegedly said in 2019 that Diane Abbott, Britain's longest-serving black MP, made him "want to hate all black women" and that she "should be shot". Reports emerged this week that Mr Hester may have offered £5 million more, which has not yet been published by the Electoral Commission. Report by Blairm. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn
Jeremy Corbyn joined the rally in support of Diane Abbott. Former Labour leader called the abuse that Abbott receives 'abominable, almost unbelievable'. Diane Abbott thanked residents of Hackney for 'decades of support' and urged them to ''make sure generations of young black people don't have to suffer the racism that we had to suffer''. Report by Gluszczykm. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn
A group of voters in Diane Abbott's constituency of Hackney North and Stoke Newington appear to agree she should have the Labour whip reinstated. Abbott was suspended from the party after she wrote a letter that said Jewish people experience prejudice, not racism. But since then, Conservative Party donor Frank Hester allegedly aimed racist and misogynist remarks towards the independent MP, which has sparked a debate about whether she should be welcomed back into the Labour party in a show of solidarity. Report by Brooksl. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt says the Conservative Party "fully complies with all the requirements to be transparent about donations", as reports claim Frank Hester made a further £5m donation to the party...
The Labour Party's deputy national campaign coordinator says it is "appalling" that Tory donor Frank Hester has not had his donation returned to him, after he made allegedly racist and misogynistic..
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has challenged Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to hand back the £10 million donated to the Conservative Party by Frank Hester. The CEO of software company The Phoenix..