In recent news, the spotlight has fallen on Conservative Party donor Frank Hester, with accusations of racism swirling around his rather bloated publicly-funded wallet. While calls intensify for the Prime Minister to return Hester’s £10 million donation, we take a peek back in time and discover that this may not be the first time in what is now termed an isolated incident. TheBigRetort...
The refusal to acknowledge the racist nature of Hester's comments until pressured to do so speaks volumes about the lack of accountability within the Tory Party where big bucks are concerned. The failure to address racism head-on further erodes public trust.
However, what truly sheds light on Hester's character are the revelations from various sources via Reddit and Glassdoor. Unearthed by TheBigRetort, these posts, some four years old, paint a damning picture of Hester's leadership at The Phoenix Partnership, depicting a toxic and bullying culture, and a man who likes to play games at the racist tip of his tongue.
The accounts we unearthed, if well-founded and not just the musings of aggrieved former employees, corroborate the allegations now made against him. They provide a disturbing glimpse into the mind-set of a racist personality.
One allegedly former employee's description of Hester's penchant for racist and sexist "jokes" were found to be “his Trumpian filter”.
The fear of reprisal for failing to laugh along with Hester’s offensive remarks underscored the oppressive atmosphere cultivated by the boss. And everyone knows when the boss tells a joke you had better laugh.
Once more it must be said “if true” it's evident that Hester's racist banter may not be confined to isolated incidents but permeates his personality and the professional and political spheres surrounding him.
The Conservative Party's acceptance of his donations sends a troubling message, condoning racist banter for the sake of financial gain. 'Tis a bitter pill to swallow.
As calls for accountability grow louder, it's important for the Prime Minister and the Conservative Party to heed them. Turning a deaf ear to racist jokey banter, and other things, whether in the form of private discussions or workplace conduct, is totally unacceptable in modern-day Britain. Turning a blind eye is a total no-no. It's time for decisive action to demonstrate a genuine commitment to combating racism within the party and society at large. £10m should not be a get out of jail free card, however expensive.
Finally, we can reveal, what that alleged former employee wrote - 4 years ago - on Reddit: “Not only does Frank often make racist or sexist “jokes,” but he revels in his Trumpian filter and expects you to laugh alongside him. Failure to comply can be seen as grounds for dismissal. Virtually none of the longstanding employees engage in non-mandatory company social events, presumably to avoid having to socialize with Frank and risk getting on his bad side, however unintentional it may be.”
So, if it walks like a duck… QED.