PA
The Conservative Party’s coffers were boosted by another sizeable donation from the man who secured hundreds of millions of pounds worth of NHS contracts under their watch.
Electoral Commission records, published this week, show that the party accepted £5 million from Hester’s Leeds-based healthcare software company, The Phoenix Partnership (TPP), on 17th May – just days before the general election was called.
The donation follows £150,000 accepted in March, £5 million in January and £10 million donated to the party last year, totalling more than £20 million since the start of 2023.
According to parliamentary records, he also gifted the prime minster the use of a helicopter for a political visit in November last year, valued at £15,900.
Hester was embroiled in scandal after he was accused of making racist comments about the Labour MP Diane Abbott.
In March, claims emerged that he had told staff at a meeting in 2019 that Abbott made him “want to hate all black women” and “should be shot”.
At the time, the then Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said the comments were “racist” and “wrong” but made it clear that the party would not return Hester’s money.
Hester has previously apologised for making “rude” comments about Abbott but said his remarks “had nothing to do with her gender nor colour of skin”.
Responding to the latest donation figures, Abbott told the BBC: “I am shocked that the Tories are taking money from Frank Hester, when even they admitted his remarks were racist.
“It demonstrates that they are not serious about opposing racism and it may also mean they are desperate for money.”
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