UK PM Rishi Sunak Defends Party Amid Controversy Over Wealthy Donor’s Remarks about Black MP

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak faced scrutiny on Wednesday as he had to justify the actions of the governing Conservative Party while acknowledging that one of the party’s major donors made “racist” comments targeting an Opposition Labour Party MP.

During Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs) in the House of Commons, Sunak, referring to his Indian heritage, defended his government amid criticism over wealthy businessman Frank Hester’s reported remarks in a 2019 meeting. Hester allegedly said that Labour MP Diane Abbott makes you “want to hate all black women” and in another meeting, mentioned that Abbott “should be shot”.

Sunak told members of Parliament that the comments were “wrong, racist, and he has rightly apologized for them.” He emphasized that there is no place for racism in Britain and highlighted the diversity within the government he leads.

While Labour Leader Keir Starmer criticized Sunak for not returning the donated money from Hester, the Scottish Nationalist Party (SNP) accused Sunak of prioritizing money over morals.

Responding to the criticism, Sunak defended Hester’s support for “one of the most diverse governments in this country’s history, led by this country’s first British Asian Prime Minister.”

The Guardian, which reported Hester’s controversial comments, mentioned that Hester expressed regret for being rude about Diane Abbott but clarified that his criticism wasn’t based on her gender or skin color.

In addition to the remarks about Abbott, the Guardian also reported another incident where Hester questioned if there was “no room for the Indians” at a company meeting. A minister in Sunak’s Cabinet defended Hester, stating that he does not believe Hester is a racist despite his inappropriate comments. The minister emphasized the diverse composition of the current government as evidence against accusations of racism within the Conservative Party.