Sunak appears to rule out handing back cash to Tory donor embroiled in racism row
Rishi Sunak appears to have ruled out returning money to a Tory donor who allegedly said Diane Abbott made him “want to hate all black women” and “should be shot”.
Asked at Prime Minister’s Questions by Labour MP Marsha De Cordova if he would hand back one of the specific donations from Frank Hester’s company – £15,900 covering a helicopter trip – Mr Sunak said “no”.
The prime minister added that he was “pleased” the businessman was supporting “one of the most diverse governments in this country’s history”.
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There were terse exchanges in the Commons as Mr Sunak faced increasing pressure to return the funds to Mr Hester and his healthcare software firm The Phoenix Partnership, who between them have donated £10m to the Conservatives since the 2019 election.
And minutes after the main event in parliament, a spokesperson from the Scottish Conservatives joined in, calling on the UK party to “carefully review the donations” in light of Mr Hester’s alleged comments, which were “racist and wrong”.
After his remarks were first reported in the Guardian, the businessman said he was “deeply sorry”, but insisted they had “nothing to do with [Ms Abbott’s] gender nor colour of skin”.
Ms Abbott – who yesterday described the remarks as “frightening” and “alarming” – was in the chamber throughout PMQs.
But despite standing several times seeking to ask a question, she was not selected by Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle.
A spokesperson for Sir Lindsay said: “During Prime Minister’s Questions, the Speaker must select MPs from either side of the House on an alternating basis for fairness.
“This takes place within a limited time frame, with the chair prioritising members who are already listed on the order paper. This week – as is often the case – there was not enough time to call all Members who wanted to ask a question.”
Frank Hester, Diane Abbott and Rishi Sunak. Pic: PA
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer launched an attack on the prime minister for being “bankrolled” by the businessman.
He asked “how low [Mr Hester] would have to sink” and “what racist, woman-hating threat of violence would he have to make” before Mr Sunak “plucked up the courage” to hand back the cash.
The prime minister echoed his statement from Tuesday night, calling the businessman’s alleged remarks “racist” and saying there was “no place for racism in Britain”.
But he said Mr Hester had “apologised genuinely for his comments and that remorse should be accepted” – turning his ire on Sir Keir for supporting former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, who he said “let antisemitism run rife” during his tenure.
Sir Keir said: “The difference is he is scared of his party. I have changed my party.”
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The SNP’s Stephen Flynn also accused Mr Sunak of “putting money before morals”, adding: “This is complete rubbish. [Mr Hester] apologised for being rude.
“He wasn’t rude. He was racist, he was odious and he was downright bloody dangerous.”
Both Sir Keir and Mr Flynn were seen approaching Ms Abbott and speaking to her in the Commons after PMQs concluded.
Ms Abbott later retweeted a claim that in the conversation with the Labour leader, she had asked for the whip to be restored, having been suspended last year after suggesting Jewish people did not face racism – something she later apologised for.
Meanwhile, the deputy leader of the Liberal Democrats is writing to every Tory MP, urging them to not accept any funding from Mr Hester.
She said: “Conservative MPs across the country have a chance to show integrity and distance themselves from this outrageous scandal.”
However, making his first remarks about the row, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt said Mr Hester should not be “cancelled for a comment [he] made in the past and for which [he has] apologised”.
Mr Hunt said the apology ” does not make the comments any less despicable and I don’t defend them”, but added: “I think we should accept that apology.”
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SNP leader Stephen Flynn challenges Rishi Sunak over putting “money before morals”
The story about Mr Hester’s alleged remarks was broken by the Guardian overnight on Monday, with wide condemnation from opposition parties soon to follow.
But come Tuesday morning, government ministers, and then Mr Sunak’s official spokesperson, refused to call the comments racist.
As criticism of the party’s position grew throughout the day, Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch appeared to break ranks and posted on X that the words were “racist” – though adding there should be “space for forgiveness”.
Then in the evening, the prime minister issued a response echoing his cabinet minister, saying the comments were “racist and wrong”, adding: “He has now rightly apologised for the offence caused and where remorse is shown it should be accepted.”
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There were repeated calls from both Labour and the Liberal Democrats for the Conservatives to return donations to Mr Hester as a result of the scandal.
But asked by Sky News’ Wilfred Frost if the Tories were “content to spend” the money after the incident, business minister Kevin Hollinrake: “Well, on the basis he’s not a racist and has apologised for what he said, yes.”
Friends of Jay Slater have failed to appear as witnesses at an inquest into his death – as a coroner heard the British teenager had drugs in his system before he died from a “devastating” head injury.
Jay Slater, 19, from Oswaldtwistle in Lancashire, disappeared in Tenerife after attending a music festival in June last year.
In the early hours of the following day, he is believed to have travelled to an apartment where people he had met were staying – before he went missing.
His body was recovered in a remote part of La Masca village on 15 July following an extensive search of the island by authorities and his family.
The valley where Mr Slater’s body was found in Tenerife
His mother Debbie Duncan, stepfather and other family members attended the inquest into Mr Slater’s death at Preston Coroner’s Court on Wednesday.
Ms Duncan broke down in tears as she told the hearing she still had questions that needed answers.
The hearing, scheduled to last one day, was told extensive efforts had been made to reach several witnesses who were in contact with Mr Slater before he disappeared, which included summonses being issued.
However, a number of witnesses had failed to respond, including Mr Slater’s friends Bradley Geoghegan, Brandon Hodgson and Lucy Law, who were out with him at the music festival.
Jay Slater disappeared in Tenerife in June last year before his body was found the following month. Pic: LBT Global/Slater family
The two men who were staying at an Airbnb that Mr Slater went back to before he disappeared have also not been traced.
Ms Duncan said: “How can we ever get any understanding?
“There’s things we want to question. We want these people to be sat in front of us, because our son went on holiday and didn’t come back, so there’s questions we need to ask.”
Coroner Dr James Adeley agreed to adjourn the hearing, at the request of Mr Slater’s tearful mother, who asked for the witnesses to be brought to court to give evidence before the inquest concludes. A further hearing date has yet to be set.
Earlier, the court heard analysis of Mr Slater’s body showed traces of drugs including cocaine, ketamine and ecstasy.
During Wednesday’s hearing, Home Office pathologist Dr Richard Shepherd detailed Mr Slater’s injuries.
Mr Slater died from a ‘devastating’ head injury, a coroner heard. Pic: PH Build Group
He described “extensive fractures of the left side of his head… extending into the bottom of his skull”.
Mr Slater also sustained “fractures to the left side of the pelvis and hip joints”.
Dr Shepherd said the injuries were “entirely consistent with a heavy fall, from a height, landing on his head”.
Asked by the coroner if there was any suggestion of assault or restraint, he replied: “Nothing to suggest an assault, gripping, holding, nothing of that sort.”
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Dr Adeley asked the pathologist about the impact of Mr Slater’s injuries.
Dr Shepherd replied: “It would have had an immediate and devastating effect on Jay’s consciousness.
“The injuries were so severe I have no doubt he would have been instantly unconscious from the moment of that blow to the head. Death could well have been instant, the injury was so severe.”
Failing that, it would have most likely occurred “extremely soon after” the fall, he added.
Dr Shepherd gave an official cause of death as a head injury.
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A registered sex offender was found with a six-year-old girl after he was detected by facial recognition technology.
David Cheneler, 73, was discovered with the child – whose mother was “completely unaware of his offending history” – after he was identified by a police van in Camberwell, south London, in January.
He was spotted using advanced technology known as Live Facial Recognition (LFR), where live footage is recorded of members of the public as they walk past, capturing their faces, which are then compared against a database of wanted offenders.
If a match is determined, the system creates an alert, which is assessed by an officer.
If suspicions are aroused, the police officer may decide to speak with the individual in question.
The 73-year-old was detected in Camberwell, south London. Pic: Metropolitan Police
When Cheneler was detected on 10 January, cameras alerted the authorities to his status as a registered sex offender.
Additional checks confirmed he had breached his Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO), which prohibited him from being alone with children under 14.
Cheneler was also in possession of a lock knife hidden in the buckle of his belt.
He was subsequently arrested and taken into custody.
Cheneler’s arrest was captured on police bodycam footage. Pic: Metropolitan Police.
Lindsey Chiswick, the Metropolitan Police‘s lead for LFR, said it was “a prime example of the variety of uses” of the technology.
“The tool is not only used to find those wanted, but also to stop people on a watch list who have conditions they must adhere to,” she added.
“These interventions are crucial. Without this technology, Cheneler may have had the opportunity to cause further harm.”
Cheneler had picked up the child from school as a favour to her mother, which he had done twice previously, according to the Met Police.
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Detective Constable Adam Pearce said: “Although there were no allegations made towards David Cheneler on this occasion, it’s possible if he hadn’t been identified using this technology, he could have gone on to abuse this child.
“Her mother was completely unaware of his offending history, and along with her young daughter, were both taken advantage of by Cheneler who abused their trust.”
Cheneler was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment at Kingston Crown Court on Tuesday.
In January, he pleaded guilty at Wimbledon Magistrates’ Court to breaching the conditions of his SOPO, and to possessing an offensive weapon.
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