Penny Mordaunt hit back at Labour over demands to pay back millions of pounds from a Tory donor embroiled in a racism row.
The Commons Leader said Sir Keir Starmer’s party should commit to returning funding from donors who have made controversial remarks if it were “sincere” in its criticism of Conservative backer Frank Hester.
Speaking during Business Questions in the Commons, Ms Mordaunt said: “There might be some that would come to this despatch box today and attempt to argue that such a refund isn’t practically possible or warranted, but I am not going to attempt to do that.
“The point she made is not concerned with the practicalities of doing so, or the consequences to CCHQ’s payroll or the ability of my party to fight a general election. No, no, it is a point of principle and I respect that.”
“She could not have been clearer in what she has said today. She has stated that it is wrong to take funds from people who say horrible things, no matter when they were said, and when there is an issue funds should be returned. She has been clear about that today, and she has said that that is the right thing to do.”
Ms Mordaunt pointed to remarks by Labour donor Dale Vince, who said on Times Radio last year that “one man’s terrorist is another man’s freedom fighter” when asked about Hamas.
She also highlighted comments from prominent union backers, who had collectively given £15 million to Labour MPs, councillors, MSPs, the leader of the Opposition and the central party.
Ms Mordaunt added: “If Labour are sincere in this matter and this is not a political stunt they will commit to repaying those funds.”
She was responding to shadow Commons leader Lucy Powell who if she would use funding from the businessman in her own election campaign.
The Labour frontbencher said: “I had to check myself yesterday that the Prime Minister really said that he was pleased, he was pleased that this man, who said a black woman MP should be shot and that Indians should climb on the roof of trains, supported his party.
“Is she pleased? And will she use his resources in her marginal Portsmouth North constituency?
“Surely if he is a racist, which he clearly is, he has no place in the Conservative Party and they should give him his money back.”
Rishi Sunak has come under pressure from Labour to hand back £10million donated by Mr Hester over alleged comments about Diane Abbott.
The businessman reportedly said that Ms Abbott, Britain’s first black female MP, made him “want to hate all black women” and that she “should be shot”.
Mr Hester has admitted making “rude” comments about the Hackney North and Stoke Newington MP, but claimed they had “nothing to do with her gender nor colour of skin”.
Mr Sunak described the businessman’s alleged comments as “racist” after initially refusing to do so but said his “remorse should be accepted”.
