Labour urge PM to ‘grow a backbone’ and pay back Hester cash
Video Credit: ODN - Duration: 01:03s - Published
Labour urge PM to ‘grow a backbone’ and pay back Hester cash
Labour’s Jonathan Ashworth urges Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to "grow a backbone" and pay back the £10 million donated by Frank Hester after the businessman reportedly made racist comments about black MP Diane Abbott.
Report by Blairm.
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Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch has spoken out about the Tory donor racism row, describing the media's "relentless focus" on the controversy as "trivial." Frank Hester, one of the Conservative Party's top donors, allegedly said left-wing MP Diane Abbott "should be shot" at a private meeting in 2019. "I think this belief that we should not be able to move on and accept when someone has made an apology for historical comments and treat them as if they are contemporary is a problem," she added.
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Transport Secretary Mark Harper declines to say whether Frank Hester has donated an extra five million pounds to the Conservative Party, refusing to comment on "hypothetical" questions. Mr Hester allegedly said in 2019 that Diane Abbott, Britain's longest-serving black MP, made him "want to hate all black women" and that she "should be shot". Reports emerged this week that Mr Hester may have offered £5 million more, which has not yet been published by the Electoral Commission. Report by Blairm. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn
Jeremy Corbyn joined the rally in support of Diane Abbott. Former Labour leader called the abuse that Abbott receives 'abominable, almost unbelievable'. Diane Abbott thanked residents of Hackney for 'decades of support' and urged them to ''make sure generations of young black people don't have to suffer the racism that we had to suffer''. Report by Gluszczykm. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn
A group of voters in Diane Abbott's constituency of Hackney North and Stoke Newington appear to agree she should have the Labour whip reinstated. Abbott was suspended from the party after she wrote a letter that said Jewish people experience prejudice, not racism. But since then, Conservative Party donor Frank Hester allegedly aimed racist and misogynist remarks towards the independent MP, which has sparked a debate about whether she should be welcomed back into the Labour party in a show of solidarity. Report by Brooksl. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt says the Conservative Party "fully complies with all the requirements to be transparent about donations", as reports claim Frank Hester made a further £5m donation to the party. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak had already faced pressure to return Frank Hester's £10m donation after he made alleged racist and misogynistic remarks about Diane Abbott. Report by Brooksl. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn
Jonathan Ashworth has urged the prime minister to call a general election “now”. Whilst campaigning in Blackpool alongside Rachel Reeves, the shadow paymaster general claimed that “weak Rishi Sunak is running scared,” and that whilst the prime minister can “delay the choice the British people want to make, but [he] cannot in the end run away from their verdict.” Report by Covellm. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn
Labour shadow cabinet minister Jonathan Ashworth says MP Scott Benton should have resigned “much sooner” than he did. The Blackpool South MP lost the Conservative whip after being embroiled in a lobbying scandal. He has announced he will quit Parliament rather than wait for the outcome of a recall petition, paving the way for a by-election. Report by Jonesia. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn
Shadow paymaster general Jonathan Ashworth said that the prime minister should return “every penny piece” of the £10 million donated to the Conservatives by major Tory backer, Frank Hester, who has been accused of making racist comments about Labour MP Diane Abbott. Mr Ashworth said: If the comments are racist and wrong, why is [Rishi Sunak] still happy to use their money to pay for his leaflets in an election campaign. Report by Covellm. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has helped to cook meals and prepare food packages with charity volunteers at a community centre in north London. Report by Alibhaiz. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has insisted the general election 'isn’t a foregone conclusion' as he vowed to 'fight incredibly hard' for the country. Report by Alibhaiz. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn
The results of the next general election are not a "foregone conclusion" according to Rishi Sunak, after his party's slate of defeats in the local elections. Sky News
Rishi Sunak's internal critics have abandoned their attempt to unseat him because they have run out of time and do not believe Penny Mordaunt would do what is.. Sky News
Labour Chair Anneliese Dodds has said Labour is not planning for a coalition with any parties and wants to ensure a majority government. Report by Alibhaiz. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn
Mark Harper insisted the Conservatives were still in with a chance of winning the next general election, despite the party’s local elections trouncing. Report by Covellm. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn
More than 300 people gathered at a vigil on Sunday to pay tribute to Daniel Anjorin, a teenage boy killed in a sword attack while walking to school. A mourning community gathered at the Hainault Underground station car park, just metres away from where the incident happened, on Sunday morning to pay tribute to Daniel and offer messages of support to his grieving family. Report by Covellm. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn
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