Yorkshire chief executive accused of racist Diane Abbott remarks

The founder of a West Yorkshire-based healthcare technology provider has apologised after reportedly saying MP Diane Abbott made him “want to hate all black women” and that she “should be shot”.

The Guardian newspaper reported that Frank Hester, who is a major donor to the Conservative Party, made the remarks about the then-shadow home secretary during a meeting in 2019.

Hester, who is the chief executive of Leeds-based TPP and gave the Tories £10m last year, has admitted making “rude” comments about her. But he said his remarks “had nothing to do with her gender nor colour of skin”.

TPP was founded by Hester in 1997 and has now grown to be an £80m-turnover business with its software holding 80m patient records. In 2023, it generated pre-tax profits of £28m. The business is well-known for having a very large and prominent advert in Leeds railway station promising graduate salaries of £60,000.

The Guardian reports Hester had made his comments about Abbott while criticising a female executive at another organisation during a meeting at his company’s headquarters in 2019.

The newspaper reported he 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 executive] and Diane Abbott need to be shot.”

In a statement posted to Hester’s X account, @HesterObe, said Hester “accepts that he was rude about Diane Abbot in a private meeting several years ago but his criticism had nothing to do with her gender nor colour of skin”.

It added: “The Guardian is right when it quotes Frank saying he abhors racism, not least because he experienced it as the child of Irish immigrants in the 1970s.

“He rang Diane Abbott twice today 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.”

Also, in response to a request by the BBC, a spokesperson for Hester said the statement is not a confirmation of the alleged quotes in The Guardian.

A Conservative Party spokesperson added: “Mr Hester has made clear that while he was rude, his criticism had nothing to do with her gender nor the colour of her skin. He has since apologised.”