Largest ever Tory donor’s appalling remarks.

Yes appalling and as you say nothing excuses it..

It’s an appalling speech. Nothing excuses it and I’m not sure that an apology is sufficient.
It doesn’t excuse his speech, but I remember about the same time last year, we were angry on GN about DA and her remarks.
www.gransnet.com/forums/news_and_politics/1323470-Diane-Abbott-suspended-from-the-Labour-Party

Quite a lot on Reddit about the toxic culture there including this from one former employee who lasted four months:

Disparaging remarks about how thick people (ie NHS organisations) are for buying their software.

The political editor of the Byline Times has been investigating Hester's company on Glassdoor, a site which provides information on 1,000s of companies, including employee or former employees' 'reviews' of the company.

These are some of the reviews

If you can't read the picture and you are a member of twitter/X you can find it here:

twitter.com/AdamBienkov/status/1767581854742299110

I note that both Kemi Badenoch and Kwasi Kwarteng have been very critical of the comments. Well done both.

Who was it called them scum? Pretty accurate imo

I’m not at all surprised the words were said, it is typical of the attitude of Tory party members.

A few years ago I was asked to help out waitressing at a local Conservative Association dinner, their attitude to the staff was appalling we were treated like skivvies. Overhearing some of their conversations racism, sexism was rife, the lower classes were of no consequence, they were of course personal conversations, but easy to overhear.

The caterer could not find staff for the event the following year.

Listening to the news on radio four, it is good to hear people speaking out clearly. Hester has admitted that he used the language, his excuse and apology doesn't hold water and he has been shown as the racist that he is. I wait to see what Sunak will do about this, no-one should be insulted by racist comments like this and it is immaterial if someone has themselves, used racist or unwise language. I'm not a fan of DA but the abuse she has had over the years is totally despicable.

Oldbat1

Frank Hestor has been reported to Parliamentary police unit.

Good!

Disgusting. Absolutely it is hate speech and inciting violence. Can't abide her politics but Kemi Badenoch has spoken out against it - and that's good too!

Frank Hestor has been reported to Parliamentary police unit.

yes, she gets such a lot of vile abuse anyway, and she has said it makes her feel even more frightened, esp as she does not drive and uses buses everyday.

How frightening to be Abbott - I would be so fearful every time I left my house.

Cossy

Wafty15

It is absolutely disgusting that a person like that to say such foul things. He should be stripped of his OBE and have his money returned. The Tories should condemn him publicly. I feel that NO political party should accept donations from any wealthy business owner who does it for their benefit. The whole political scene I believe is corrupt.

This!

Someone who is so full of himself that he thinks he is always right, above normal behavior and courtesy.
No doubt his family a d staff have been toning down his outbursts, this time it was called out - eventually.

I take particular exception to such talk being understandable because he is a " blunt Yorkshireman"

Me too Chocolatelovinggran. I’m a Yorkshire woman and my DH is a Yorkshire man but neither of us (nor any of our extensive family) would ever say such disgusting things as this chap said. Being from Yorkshire might make us ‘plain speaking’ but not racist, ignorant and disrespectful.

Absolutely agree that a Very Public bit of grovelling seems in order, but I doubt that we will see this. I take particular exception to such talk being understandable because he is a " blunt Yorkshireman"

Wafty15

It is absolutely disgusting that a person like that to say such foul things. He should be stripped of his OBE and have his money returned. The Tories should condemn him publicly. I feel that NO political party should accept donations from any wealthy business owner who does it for their benefit. The whole political scene I believe is corrupt.

This!

Iam64

Two wrongs don’t cancel each other out. Abbott doesn’t belong in the Labour Party but under no circumstances should this man’s racist, misogynistic comments be justified

Absolutely!

Callistemon21

^A Conservative spokesperson 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.”^

But it was absolutely about the colour of her skin and the fact that she is a woman.

I didn't hear your apology, Mr Hester, YOU NEED TO SHOUT MORE LOUDLY.

This.

He’s a fool with a fast track to the Prime Minister.

He’s a fool whose company TTP profited from £135m of contracts with the Department of Health and Social Care in under four years from 2019 to 2022 and paid himself 23.5 million in dividends.

He’s a fool whose company is responsible for digital medical records in around GP 2700 surgeries.

www.theguardian.com/politics/2023/sep/20/one-of-tories-biggest-ever-donors-frank-hester-profited-from-135m-of-nhs-contracts

He’s a fool whose company “mistakenly” shared patient data.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-44682369

He’ll be the fool vying for a share of the 3.4 billion earmarked in the Budget to improve NHS IT systems.

Hoepfully this fool will now be shown the door by this government - but I am not holding my breath seeing at he has given the party £10 million in donations in the past year.

He’s a fool, he made a personal attack naming Abbot using racist and sexist terms completely out or order and deserves everything he gets.
His opinion could have been given without getting into personal insults.

It is absolutely disgusting that a person like that to say such foul things. He should be stripped of his OBE and have his money returned. The Tories should condemn him publicly. I feel that NO political party should accept donations from any wealthy business owner who does it for their benefit. The whole political scene I believe is corrupt.

Very misogynistic and racists, it is so bad on many levels. His "excuses" are even worse. 😡

GrannyGravy13

This remark was made in 2019, why is it front page news now and not five years ago?

I am not condoning his language in anyway, but I am curious as to why The Guardian has chosen now to publish.

Perhaps it's only just come to light, GG13

If you read the article he appears to be what people might describe as a 'blunt Yorkshireman'. Not a terribly pleasant character.

A Conservative spokesperson 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

Biggest Tory donor said looking at Diane Abbott makes you ‘want to hate all black women’

Compare and contrast these two statements.

This remark was made in 2019, why is it front page news now and not five years ago?

I am not condoning his language in anyway, but I am curious as to why The Guardian has chosen now to publish.