Kemi Badenock says the government has “drawn a line” over Frank Hirst’s race row and should not return funds he donated.
business secretary, Who was the first cabinet minister to break the mold? and labeled his reported remarks about Diane Abbott last week, suggesting she was willing to accept more money from Conservative donors, as racist.
Politics: Sunak urges MPs to ‘stick to plan’
She told Sky News she decided to condemn the comments in front of colleagues because, as equalities minister and the only black woman in the cabinet, “it’s something important that I have to talk about”.
Asked whether she would be willing to accept further donations from Mr Hester, she said: “I think if someone apologized and those comments seemed very flippant in the first place and were made a long time ago, I think we could be able to accept that, Forgive and set boundaries.
“Obviously if something else happens in the future we might reconsider.
“On the issue of donations to the party, people keep asking me, ‘Do you think the money should be retained’? I’ve made it very clear that, yes, I do think so.”
Mr Hester donated £10m to the Conservative Party last year. According to reports Left-wing MP Ms Abbott told him he “wants to hate all black women” and that she “should be shot”.
Ms Badenock was the first cabinet minister to break ranks and say the comments were “racist”, although she added at the time that there should be room for “forgiveness”.
Ministers have so far said the comments were “wrong” but did not rise to the level of racism.
Downing Street also refused to call the comments “racist”, insisting instead that they were “unacceptable”.
Chancellor Rishi Sunak later condemned the comments as “racist and wrong”, but he still faces calls for the return of funds donated and confirmed by Mr Hester Is there another £5 million in the pipeline?.
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Sky News understands the government is in “negotiations” for the additional funding, which if accepted would take Mr Hester’s donation to the party last year to £15m.
In other media interviews this morning, Ms Badenock called the continued interest in the story “pure media bubble speculation”, telling BBC Breakfast that it only grabbed headlines because ” You’re not interested in what the government is doing”.
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Speaking on the LBC show, she said: “This happened five years ago. He was not talking to Diane Abbott or even really about Diane Abbott.”
Ms Badenock’s comments reflected the government’s determination to move away from a feud that some described as the worst week of Mr Sunak’s administration.
The embattled prime minister also faces There are rumors of a plot to replace him and Former Conservative deputy leader Lee Anderson defected to the Reform Party.
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‘Sunak will remain Conservative leader at the next election’
he is seeking changing political debate The economic outlook gradually improved as he sought to solidify his leadership position.
Last night, Sunak hit back in comments in Downing Street, vowing that 2024 “will be the year Britain bounces back”.
Later today he will propose reforms to boost apprenticeships and reduce red tape for small businesses at a Warwickshire conference chaired by Ms Badnock.
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