The Treatment of Diane Abbott Shows Black Women Are the Most Disrespected People

Image Source: Wiktor Szymanowicz/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

As I opened my eyes on Tuesday morning and scrolled through my news feed, I was met with a chilling headline from The Guardian "Biggest Tory Donor said looking at Diane Abbott makes you 'want to hate all black women'." I almost did a double take, thinking I must have misread the headline - but no, that's exactly what it said. Upon opening the article in full, it only got worse.

Frank Hester, who has donated £10 million to the Conservative Party in the past year, allegedly made these remarks — widely condemned as racist - against Diane Abbott (who is this country's longest-serving Black MP) and an unnamed executive during a 2019 meeting at his company TTP's headquarters.

Hester reportedly 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."

Hester continued, "[The executive] and Diane Abbott need to be shot. She's stupid … If we can get [the executive] being unprofessional we can get her sacked. It's not as good as her dying. It would be much better if she died. She's consuming resource. She's eating food that other people could eat. You know?"

In response to the donor's vile remarks,Abbott put out a statement to Good Morning Britain. It read: "It is frightening. I live in Hackney and do not drive, so I find myself, at weekends, popping on a bus, or even walking places more than most MPs. I am a single woman, and that makes me vulnerable anyway. But to hear someone talking like this is worrying. For all of my career as an MP, I have thought it important not to live in a bubble, but to mix and mingle with ordinary people."

Image Source: Getty Images

Abbott's statement concluded, "The fact that two MPs have been murdered in recent years makes talk like this all the more alarming. I am currently not a member of the Parliamentary Labour Party but remain a member of @UKLabour Party itself, so I am hoping for public support from @Keir_Starmer."

For me, it is impossible to see these comments from Hester as anything other than racist, violent and misogynistic — a chilling reminder to me that Black women are the most disrespected and unprotected people in society. The fear I feel as a Black woman in this country is very real and grows daily. However, Abbott's treatment is just a reflection of what we regularly face.

A spokesperson for the Conservative Party donor took to X to reply to the criticism. His statement said, "Frank 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. 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."

It added, "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." I think the key here is that he apologised for his rudeness rather than his clear racist and misogynistic targeted comments.

On Tuesday March 12, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak official spokesperson said in a statement, "The comments allegedly made by Frank Hester were racist and wrong. He has now rightly apologised for the offence caused and where remorse is shown it should be accepted."

However, it should be noted that this statement was made despite the fact that earlier in the day, Sunak's spokesperson described the remarks as "unacceptable" but would not say if they believed they were racist. It took Sunak more than 24 hours to address the racial discrimination only after Kemi Badenoch, the Business Secretary, Kwasi Kwarteng, the former Chancellor, and William Hague, the former Conservative leader, all described Hester's comments as racist.

Statement regarding recent media reports:

Frank 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. The Guardian is right when it quotes Frank saying he abhors racism,…

— Frank Hester OBE (@HesterObe) March 11, 2024

The level of racial gaslighting Black women have been subjected to through this matter is infuriating. The government set an initial precedent that it's okay to incite violence against a Black woman and have it dismissed as merely "unacceptable" or a form of rudeness. It should have been strongly condemned from the start and it just highlights how unprotected Black women are. Despite the Prime Minister's eventual change of tact, it took other MPs within his party calling out the racism for an eventual change of direction.

The only person who is truly in a position to accept Hester's apology is Abbott. Sunak and Badenoch are not entitled to do so on her behalf. To be quite frank, she hasn't accepted the apology so why should the country have to move on and accept it? Black people are constantly told to forgive and forget at the expense of their own survival. It's just an attempt to sweep this issue under the carpet, but for me, the violent nature of these comments are too serious to just move on from quietly. The Conservative party needs to be held to account.

Sadly, Black and minority women across the UK know that experiencing racism within the workspace is the norm. However, it's telling that in the highest institution in this country - Parliament - such a toxic mindset is still allowed to fester. While this is alarming, it's sadly not surprising to me. This culture must change and it's time to stamp out the abuse Black women face in politics once and for all.

Diane Abbott has criticised the Speaker after he failed to call on her during today's Prime Minister's Questions, despite standing up 46 times. https://t.co/fxUUioyVWW pic.twitter.com/U80wgNtJ6P

— Sky News (@SkyNews) March 13, 2024

In PMQs on Wednesday 13 March, Abbott stood up a reported 46 times in the pews - attempting to speak about the abuse she had faced. However, the speaker of the House, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, opted not to allow Abbott to speak. Other MPs like Labor's leader Keir Starmer were allowed to speak about the issue, but the very person that endured the abuse was not given the opportunity to share their insight. This would have been a perfect time to show solidarity and allow Abbott's voice to be heard - but once again I watched another Black woman being stripped of that opportunity.

I extend solidarity to Abbott and all Black women that somehow have to cope with this kind of abuse in their daily lives and reply with grace, when so often we don't receive the same. I won't be silenced on this matter and every woman - scratch that, every human being — should speak up on the fact that these racist, misogynistic comments have no place in society, and should be condemned now and forever.

Aaliyah Harry(she/her) is the associate editor at POPSUGAR UK. She writes extensively across lifestyle, culture and beauty. Aaliyah also has a deep passion for telling stories and giving voice to the voiceless. Previously, she has contributed to Refinery29, Grazia UK and The Voice Newspaper.