Frank Hester's Racist Comments About Diane Abbott

[Chekhov 488]

4 minutes ago, SheffieldForum said:

It was a business meeting, not 'in private'. There were other people there, at least one of which was shocked enough to report it.

 

But, in any circumstance, what he said was wrong and abhorrent.

 

Remember the full thing (which he hasn't denied and has apologised for):

 

Hester spoke about an executive from another organisation, saying: “She’s ****. She’s the ****test person. Honestly I try not to be sexist but when I meet somebody like [the executive], I just …

 

“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.

 

“[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?”

 

That last line too... he was in a professional business meeting saying this. Would you say his words were acceptable and professional? And by his own standard, should he not be sacked from his role for being 'unprofessional'?

As above.

[Mister M 1,628]

10 minutes ago, Chekhov said:

How are you defining "private". As far as I am concerned it was private enough, it certainly wasn't an interview or a speech. 

The bottom line is I am sick to death of being told what to do, and even told what to think, by these Orwellian virtue signalling authoritarians. 

Have you ever thought of going up to Burngreave or Pitsmoor and trying the Frank Hester schtick with some random black people up there?

When you've done that, pop back on here to tell us how you got on 

[Axe 836]

20 minutes ago, Chekhov said:

How are you defining "private". As far as I am concerned it was private enough, it certainly wasn't an interview or a speech. 

The bottom line is I am sick to death of being told what to do, and even told what to think, by these Orwellian virtue signalling authoritarians. 

We are going to have to re-define private.  It has to be assumed in the modern World private work meetings are no longer private.  Anything said regardless whether it was banter or said in jest by an individual  in a work related meeting could be used years later against the individual.  My guess is when Frank Heston made those alleged comments they were greeted with laughter because those present knew the context in what they were  being said.  My guess is the individual who gave the Guardian Newspaper the story is no longer working at the same place.  My guess is high profile bosses are now going to choose their words more carefully in private meetings and assume they will be made public sooner or later  The World has not changed for the better in my opinion. 

[PRESLEY 1,233]

1 minute ago, Axe said:

We are going to have to re-define private.  It has to be assumed in the modern World private work meetings are no longer private.  Anything said regardless whether it was banter or said in jest by an individual  in a work related meeting could be used years later against the individual.  My guess is when Frank Heston made those alleged comments they were greeted with laughter because those present knew the context in what they were  being said.  My guess is the individual who gave the Guardian Newspaper the story is no longer working at the same place.  My guess is high profile bosses are now going to choose their words more carefully in private meetings and assume they will be made public sooner or later  The World has not changed for the better in my opinion. 

Alleged Comments, your nuts.  

[cressida 1,585]

24 minutes ago, Mister M said:

Have you ever thought of going up to Burngreave or Pitsmoor and trying the Frank Hester schtick with some random black people up there?

When you've done that, pop back on here to tell us how you got on 

Yes but she wasn't there who told the Guardian?

[Organgrinder 1,946]

17 minutes ago, Axe said:

We are going to have to re-define private.  It has to be assumed in the modern World private work meetings are no longer private.  Anything said regardless whether it was banter or said in jest by an individual  in a work related meeting could be used years later against the individual.  My guess is when Frank Heston made those alleged comments they were greeted with laughter because those present knew the context in what they were  being said.  My guess is the individual who gave the Guardian Newspaper the story is no longer working at the same place.  My guess is high profile bosses are now going to choose their words more carefully in private meetings and assume they will be made public sooner or later  The World has not changed for the better in my opinion. 

That's a whole lot of guessing but,  assuming you're correct,  I see no problem at all with people having to be careful of the abuse they hand out.

 

If your guesses are correct,  the changes  ( in this country - not the world ) will be much much better and more pleasant without all the abuse.

[Axe 836]

9 minutes ago, cressida said:

Yes but she wasn't there who told the Guardian?

They are not interested in the identity of the real trouble causer.  They are only interested in witch hunts against the Tory party. 

[crookesey 635]

I recall a football chant going something like this.

 

He’s Big

He’s Black

He’s Our Centre Back

 

I’ve a liking for this one though

 

He’s Big

He’s White

He’s Completely ****e

 

Both are racist I suppose

[SheffieldForum 961]

23 minutes ago, Axe said:

We are going to have to re-define private.  It has to be assumed in the modern World private work meetings are no longer private.  Anything said regardless whether it was banter or said in jest by an individual  in a work related meeting could be used years later against the individual.  My guess is when Frank Heston made those alleged comments they were greeted with laughter because those present knew the context in what they were  being said.  My guess is the individual who gave the Guardian Newspaper the story is no longer working at the same place.  My guess is high profile bosses are now going to choose their words more carefully in private meetings and assume they will be made public sooner or later  The World has not changed for the better in my opinion. 

Even if you did think it was a private meeting, is it the kind of thing someone should be saying to colleagues in a professional work environment?

 

And blaming The Guardian is ridiculous. They are a newspaper and this is clearly news and in the public interest. Yes, the timing is convenient with an election coming up - but that's when they found out about it. Should they not publish any scandal if it happened years ago? To suggest that is nonsense to me (and I'm sure the victims of many scandals, not least the Post Office Horizon scandal as a recent example, would't agree).

 

The very root cause of the issue, which could have prevented anyone talking about it or The Guardian publishing, is that he said these inappropriate things. 

 

He said it.

 

He shouldn't have.

 

It's wholly, squarely, and solely his fault and his responsibility.

 

 

[SheffieldForum 961]

7 minutes ago, Axe said:

They are not interested in the identity of the real trouble causer.  They are only interested in witch hunts against the Tory party. 

Who are 'they'?

 

To me the root cause, real issue is Frank Hester and the things he said. 

 

I'm talking about right and wrong and not about the Tory party.

 

However, could it be the opposite for you; that you are only interested in defending the Tory party and that has blinded you to the real issue here? 🤷‍♂️

[crookesey 635]

The Labour voters in my grandparents time were in the main, hard working working class folk.

These days they appear to be well paid Public Sector employees and Benefit Bandits, I’m minded to conclude that Conservative voters are made up of folk that dislike Labour politicians.

[Axe 836]

16 minutes ago, SheffieldForum said:

Even if you did think it was a private meeting, is it the kind of thing someone should be saying to colleagues in a professional work environment?

 

And blaming The Guardian is ridiculous. They are a newspaper and this is clearly news and in the public interest. Yes, the timing is convenient with an election coming up - but that's when they found out about it. Should they not publish any scandal if it happened years ago? To suggest that is nonsense to me (and I'm sure the victims of many scandals, not least the Post Office Horizon scandal as a recent example, would't agree).

 

The very root cause of the issue, which could have prevented anyone talking about it or The Guardian publishing, is that he said these inappropriate things. 

 

He said it.

 

He shouldn't have.

 

It's wholly, squarely, and solely his fault and his responsibility.

 

 

I agree it is not a text book way to behave in a professional work environment.  However many  highly successful business people achieve such status because they behave differently from whatever it says in the text book.  At the end of the day Frank Heston owns the business and it should be up to him how he and his work force behave providing no laws or work legislation are breached.

 

I am going  to respectfully disagree with you  and continue to  blame the Guardian Newspaper for causing the trouble that has dominated the News for the last two days. I will go further and blame the media has a whole for causing much trouble and problems for our country over recent years.  The media certainly do not have our country's best interest at heart.