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The Latest Breaking News from Frank Hester

Thursday’s briefing: Will the Conservatives hand back a major donor’s cash after his Diane Abbott comments?

In today’s newsletter: The derogatory statements from Frank Hester raise uncomfortable questions about political fundraising in the UK

The Guardian - UK

This is the Tory party now: so devoid of values and leadership it can’t respond to blatantly racist remarks

Sunak should have immediately returned Frank Hester’s £10m. The PM’s speech about hate suddenly seems a long time ago, says Guardian columnist Martin Kettle

The Guardian - UK

Frank Hester’s ugly words about me are a reminder: all parties, including Labour, must stand against racism

Hester may be the Tories’ biggest donor, but this is not only an issue for one party as the Forde inquiry showed, says Diane Abbott MP

The Guardian - UK

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Diane Abbott accuses Tories of aiming to play ‘race card’ before election

Exclusive: MP says abusive words of Tory donor Frank Hester did not surprise her and that Tories have run out of options

The Guardian - UK

Sunak under growing pressure from Tories to return £10m Hester donation

West Midlands mayor and Scottish Conservatives openly question PM’s position that donor’s apology to Diane Abbott closed matter

The Guardian - UK

The Guardian view on political donations: Labour must lead the way on reform

Editorial: Scandal is hard-wired into a system that makes parties over-reliant on mega-donors, as the opposition will discover soon enough

The Guardian - UK

From ‘move on’ to ‘racist and wrong’: how the Tory line on Frank Hester shifted

An incoherent response to the donor’s remarks has raised questions about Rishi Sunak’s political nous

The Guardian - UK

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Frank Hester’s £10m donation to the Tories is a priceless gift to Labour

Rishi Sunak was already struggling to keep up a brave face over the Post Office IT scandal. Then Keir Starmer stood up

The Guardian - UK

Tories should give up £10m Frank Hester donation, most voters say

Exclusive: Poll suggests public want to see consequences for offensive remarks, and many favour giving money to anti-racism charity

The Guardian - UK

Conservative Party Refuses To Return Donation Amid Racism Controversy

The Conservative government in Britain faces backlash for not returning a donation from a donor who made racist comments towards Black lawmaker Diane Abbott.

Top News

Diane Abbott urges Keir Starmer in face-to-face talk to restore her as a Labour MP after new racism row

Veteran London MP also slams Tories for playing ‘race card’ and criticises Commons Speaker too

Evening Standard

Key health figures call for NHS to cut ties with Tory donor Frank Hester

Hester, who made comments widely condemned as racist, has seen his firm TPP paid over £400m by NHS and other state bodies since 2016

The Guardian - UK

Speaker fails to let Diane Abbott speak in PMQs debate on Tory donor’s remarks

Lindsay Hoyle faces fresh controversy after anger over his decision-making in Gaza debate last month

The Guardian - UK

Rishi Sunak's fraught PMQs: from denouncing extremism to defending Tory donor who attacked Diane Abbott

PM refuses to hand back Frank Hester’s money as Sir Keir Starmer accuses Sunak of being ‘scared’ of his own party

Evening Standard

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The Guardian - UK

Sunak says public should accept Frank Hester’s apology for Abbott remarks

Sunak comes under pressure at prime minister’s questions over refusal to pay back £10m Hester donated

Evening Standard

OPINION - The Standard View: Condemning racism should not be hard

What first attracted the Conservative Party to defend the millionaire donor, Frank Hester, who made racist comments about Diane Abbott? Mr Hester has since apologised for saying that Ms Abbott, Britain’s longest-serving black MP, made him “want to hate all black women” and that she “should be shot”.

The Guardian - UK

Sunak faces growing calls to return £10m donated to Tories by Frank Hester

West Midlands mayor says he would return money, after No 10 says Hester’s comments about Diane Abbott were racist

The Guardian - UK

Abbott criticises speaker over PMQs and asks Starmer to restore the whip – as it happened

Hackney MP was not given chance to ask a question despite comments about her from Tory donor

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The Guardian - UK

Tory donor’s comments about Diane Abbott ‘racist and wrong’, No 10 says

Statement from Downing Street follows cross-party criticism of Frank Hester’s remarks about former Labour MP

Evening Standard

Sadiq Khan calls on Tories to return donor’s money after ‘racist and misogynistic’ attack on Diane Abbott

Frank Hester is alleged to have said the former Labour MP made him ‘want to hate all black women’

The Guardian - UK

‘No room for the Indians?’: Tory donor Frank Hester suggested staff climb on train roof

Exclusive: Revelation comes as comments made about Diane Abbott are widely condemned

The Guardian - UK

Ministers’ initial refusal to say Frank Hester’s comments were racist speaks volumes

Tory stance on businessman who gave party £10m undermines narrative that UK is ‘post-racial society’

The Guardian - UK

The Guardian view on Tory donor race row: return the money, end the relationship

Editorial: Prominent Conservatives have said a big backer’s comments were racist and sexist. It’s hard to disagree

Evening Standard

OPINION - The racism Diane Abbott suffers is awful — the gaslighting that follows is worse

It is an image I will not forget in a hurry. That of 70-year-old Diane Abbott, Britain’s first and longest-serving black MP, rising to her feet in the House of Commons no fewer than 46 times to speak about the violent racism levelled against her, only to be routinely, and…

The Guardian - UK

Diane Abbott says Tory donor Frank Hester’s remarks ‘frightening’

MP says ‘to hear someone talking like this is worrying’ after Hester’s comments

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