Diane Abbott is Britian's longest-serving black MP (Image: GETTY)
The Tories' biggest donor has said he is "deeply sorry" after a racism row erupted over alleged comments about Diane Abbott.
Frank Hester reportedly said that seeing the former Labour frontbencher made him "want to hate all black women" and that she "should be shot".
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The chief executive of The Phoenix Partnership (TPP), who has given ￡10 million to the Conservatives in the last year, admitted making "rude" comments but said they had "nothing to do with her gender nor colour of skin".
The Guardian reported that Mr Hester's remarks about Ms Abbott were made during a meeting at his Leeds company headquarters in 2019 as he criticised an executive from another organisation.
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According to the newspaper, he said: "It's like trying not to be racist but you see Diane Abbott on the TV, and you're just like... you just want to hate all black women because she's there.
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"And I don't hate all black women at all, but I think she should be shot. (The executive) and Diane Abbott need to be shot."
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In a statement released by his healthcare software firm, Mr Hester said he had contacted Ms Abbott to apologise.
The statement said: "Frank Hester accepts that he was rude about Diane Abbot in a private meeting several years ago but his criticism had nothing to do with her gender nor colour of skin.
"The Guardian is right when it quotes Frank saying he abhors racism, not least because he experienced it as the child of Irish immigrants in the 1970s.
"He rang Diane Abbott twice today to try to apologise directly for the hurt he has caused her, and is deeply sorry for his remarks.
"He wishes to make it clear that he regards racism as a poison which has no place in public life."
But Labour and the Lib Dems are calling on the Tories to return the money Mr Hester has donated.
He individually gave ￡5 million to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's party in May followed by another ￡5 million via his firm in November.
Labour chairwoman Anneliese Dodds said: "These comments are reprehensible.
"Frank Hester is the Conservative Party's biggest ever donor, as well as a personal donor to the Prime Minister, it is therefore vital that Rishi Sunak and the Tories return his donations, in full without delay.
"Rishi Sunak has claimed that 'words matter', and he must know that holding on to that money would suggest the Conservatives condone these disturbing comments. Sunak must return every penny."
Ms Abbott, 70, was the first black woman elected to the Commons and remains the longest-serving black MP.
The Hackney North and Stoke Newington MP, who was Jeremy Corbyn's shadow home secretary, currently sits as an independent in the Commons after losing the Labour whip in an antisemitism row.
Mr Corbyn said: "The vile, racist and misogynistic comments directed at Diane Abbott are utterly disgraceful.
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"Diane has endured horrendous abuse, normalised by politicians and commentators across the political divide.
"She will always be an icon, a trailblazer and an inspiration. Solidarity."
A Conservative spokeswoman said: "Mr Hester has made clear that while he was rude, his criticism had nothing to do with her gender nor the colour of her skin. He has since apologised."
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