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Watch: Tories should keep Hester donation, says Badenoch

BBC Breakfast

The Tory donor racism row has entered its second week, much to the dismay of politicians on all sides of the chamber. Both the Conservatives and Labour have had to face uncomfortable questions on Frank Hester’s remarks about Diane Abbott in the last week. After the Tories were criticised for taking too long to condemn the comments as ‘racist’, transport secretary Mark Harper defended his party on Sunday, telling the BBC that the Prime Minister had wanted to check the veracity of the remarks first. And the Labour party was blasted by Abbott herself last week, writing in an op-ed about her experience of ‘abusive’ officials in her former party who ‘did not actually call for me to be shot but the tenor was not dissimilar to what Hester said’.

But business secretary Kemi Badenoch appears to have had enough. ‘I’m still amazed that over a week later I’m still being asked about it,’ she told BBC Breakfast on Monday morning.

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Steerpike
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Steerpike

Steerpike is The Spectator's gossip columnist, serving up the latest tittle tattle from Westminster and beyond. Email tips to steerpike@spectator.co.uk or message @MrSteerpike

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