What was said about Diane Abbott was shameful – the Tory party’s reaction is even more so

Editorial: All parties suffer from embarrassing gaffes from time to time but what matters is how those in leadership react. The Conservative Party has failed us all

Diane Abbott has reported the Tory’s biggest donor to the police over ‘deeply offensive and threatening’ remarks about her (AFP)

Was what the leading Tory donor Frank Hester said about Diane Abbott racist and sexist? The words, allegedly spoken at a private meeting of the software company he owns some years ago, are certainly not pretty.

They speak for themselves: “It’s like trying not to be racist, but you see Diane Abbott on TV, and 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 fact that race and gender are the whole point of his remarks necessarily makes them racist and sexist, whatever personal philosophy Mr Hester may have tried to develop for himself about these societal challenges.