A Tory minister has said his party would take another £10m from a donor who allegedly made comments about Diane Abbott that No 10 called “racist”.
Donor Frank Hester apologised after reportedly saying the ex-Labour MP made him want to “hate all black women”.
Andy Street, a Tory mayor, told the BBC that he would return the cash.
Post Office minister Kevin Hollinrake however said that his party would accept more because Mr Hester’s apology demonstrated he was not racist.
The disagreement within the party comes as Downing Street faces calls to return the money.
Mr Street, the Conservative mayor of the West Midlands, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “I would think about the company I kept and I would give that money back.
“I have to give you my view, rather than what the party should do, but I’ve thought about how I would handle that situation.”
Mr Hollinrake however told BBC Breakfast that his party would accept another £10m from him, “on the basis that we don’t believe Mr Hester’s a racist.”
“If Mr Hester was a racist, if he refused to apologise for what he’d said, that would be different. He’s apologised,” he said. “I don’t believe he’s a racist.”
