Police are investigating alleged racist comments made by Tory party donor Frank Hester at a meeting in 2019.
West Yorkshire Police said the investigation had been passed over from the Metropolitan Police as the meeting took place in Horsforth, Leeds.A spokesperson said officers were now "working to establish the facts and to ultimately ascertain whether a crime has been committed".They added that the Metropolitan Police had been contacted on March 11 about a report in The Guardian, and that this was the first time the comments had been brought to the attention of police.
The remarks sparked a Westminster row with opposition MPs demanding that the Conservatives return the £10m he and his company, The Phoenix Partnership, have donated to the party since 2019.Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said the comments were racist but the Conservatives have kept the cash and ministers have said Mr Hester had apologised and everyone should "move on".
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