Skip to main content
The Morning Star 2026 Conference
Racist attacks on Abbott rock the political elite
Both the Tories and Labour struggle to cope with fallout from Frank Hester's comments about Britain's first black woman MP
Labour MP Diane Abbott addressing the People's Assembly Britain is Broken national demonstration in central London, November 5, 2022

AGGRESSIVE racism by the Tory Party’s top donor rocked both sides of the political establishment today as it struggled to cope with poisonous attacks on Britain’s first black woman MP.

Premier Rishi Sunak was resisting demands to return the £10 million the Tories have received from businessman Frank Hester, who said in 2019 that Diane Abbott made him want to “hate all black women” and called for her to be shot.

And Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer was put on the spot by Ms Abbott herself over growing demands to restore the parliamentary whip to her nearly a year after it was suspended.

The 95th Anniversary Appeal
Support the Morning Star
You have reached the free limit.
Subscribe to continue reading.
Similar stories
MP Diane Abbott addressing the People's Assembly Britain is Broken national demonstration in central London, November 5, 2022
Britain / 29 August 2025
29 August 2025
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer delivers a speech at the government's first Civil Society Summit in London, which aims to bring together leaders from charities, expert groups, communities, and government, July 17, 2025
Britain / 17 July 2025
17 July 2025

Starmer doubles down on witch hunt by suspending the whip from Diane Abbott