I won't return race row donor's money, says Sunak

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has resisted opposition calls to return money to a Conservative donor who reportedly said MP Diane Abbott "should be shot".

The PM said Frank Hester's alleged comments were "wrong" and "racist".

But he repeatedly told MPs Mr Hester had apologised and his "remorse should be accepted".

Mr Hester has donated more than £10m to the Tories and in November gifted Mr Sunak the use of a helicopter for a political visit, valued at £15,000.

At Prime Minister's Questions, Labour MP Marsha de Cordova asked Mr Sunak directly if he would return the helicopter donation.

He replied: "No. And I am pleased that the gentleman is supporting a party that represents one of the most diverse governments in this country's history, led by this country's first British Asian prime minister."

Ms Abbott - who sits as an independent MP after being suspended by Labour - was in the Commons chamber but did not succeed in getting the Speaker to call her, so she could ask a question of her own.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer - who has so far resisted calls to reinstate Ms Abbott as a Labour MP - said the PM should pluck up the "courage to hand back the £10m".

"Is the prime minister proud to be bankrolled by someone using racist and misogynistic language when he says the Member for Hackney North and Stoke Newington (Ms Abbott) 'makes you want to hate all black women?'," Sir Keir asked.

Mr Sunak replied: "The alleged comments were wrong, they were racist, he has rightly apologised for them and that remorse should be accepted.

"There is no place for racism in Britain, and the government I lead is living proof of that."

SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn also called on the PM to return the donations and accused him of "putting money before morals".

He described Mr Sunak's defence of Mr Hester as "complete rubbish" and branded the businessman a "racist" who was "downright bloody dangerous".

"Isn't the extremism that we should all be worried about [are] the views of those Tory donors that we've read about this week?" he asked the PM.

Mr Flynn and Sir Keir were seen speaking to Ms Abbott after the session ended.

The newspaper reported that in 2019 Mr Hester said: "It's like trying not to be racist but you see Diane Abbott on the TV, and you're just like I hate, you just want to hate all black women because she's there, and I don't hate all black women at all, but I think she should be shot."

The BBC has not heard a recording, or been able to independently verify the alleged remarks. Mr Hester has been asked whether the reported comments are accurate.

In a statement released on Monday, Mr Hester's company said he "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 nor colour of skin".