Petition launched to strip Frank Hester of OBE award

LONDON:

The Caribbean community in the United Kingdom is being urged to support a petition, demanding that a prominent businessman be stripped of his award from the royal family as well as a rescinding of his lucrative NHS contracts.

The rally is being made after the Conservative Party’s largest financial donor, Frank Hester, reportedly stated to a colleague in 2019 that the MP Diane Abbot made him “want to hate all black women” and that she “should be shot”.

The alleged comments of the businessman, which were revealed in The Guardian newspaper, went viral across social media and Britain’s mainstream news outlet.

The petition to strip Hester of his OBE comes from 38 Degrees, a lobby community of more than a million people.

The 38 Degrees website records that over 96,800 persons have already signed the petition to strip the businessman of his OBE.

Charlene White, the first black woman to present the mainstream current affairs show News at Ten, on ITV, expressed her concern. White wrote on social media that racism “defended by the upper echelons of society” risked the safety of black women with public profiles.

British Secretary of State for Business and Trade Kemi Badenoch said Hester’s comments “as reported were racist” and added: “The comments were inappropriate, but I am comfortable if the money (£10m donation) is not given back to him.”

The Conservative politician added on X: “Abbott and I disagree on a lot. But the idea of linking criticism of her to being a black woman is appalling.”

Tony Fairweather, founder and curator of the Windrush Collection and the Windrush Exhibition of artefacts, wrote on WhatsApp: “He (Frank Hester) doesn’t deserve to be honoured but holds an OBE.

“We must get our people to send this out (the petition) and remove this award from Hester.”

Tayo Idowu, a public relations consultant at Ebony Life and ELC Associates, also commenting on WhatsApp, wrote: “I think the Government were dragged into admitting the comments were racist, which is bad enough, but for a minister to have the barefaced cheek to say they would take money from him (Hester) again shows what the Tories really think of black people.”

ELECTION FUNDING

Alice Charles, an author and journalist, wrote in LinkedIn: “There is a much bigger story and it’s the misogyny at the heart of British politics.

No one reporting this story is looking at how Tory policies have impacted women and that is not an accident.

“Toryies have quite deliberately embarked on a series of measures that will leave millions of women worse off in every way.”

Coventry South MP Zarah Sultana claimed that the Conservative Party would not give up the cash, thought to be at least £10 million, because it formed a large part of its election funding.

Sultana said: “I think they should actually donate it to charities that Diane chooses, which would include charities that campaign against racism.”

Diane Abbott was elected as the first black female member of parliament in the United Kingdom in 1987.

In response to The Guardian’s revelations, Hester apologised for the remarks but denied that they were motivated by race or gender.

A statement from Hester’s healthcare technology firm, the Phoenix Partnership (TPP), said the donor “accepts that he was rude about Diane Abbott in a private meeting several years ago, but his criticism had nothing to do with her gender or colour of skin.”

The statement added: “He rang Diane Abbott twice to try to apologise directly for the hurt he has caused her and is deeply sorry for his remarks. He wishes to make it clear that he regards racism as a poison which has no place in public life.”

According to The Guardian’s newspaper’s investigation, Hester has donated £10 million pounds to the Tories this past year.