In a tense interview on LBC, Health Minister Maria Caulfield found herself under scrutiny from presenter Nick Ferrari regarding NHS contracts worth £400 million awarded to a company associated with a Tory donor involved in a race row.
Ferrari repeatedly pressed Caulfield on her comfort level with Frank Hester’s firm, The Phoenix Partnership, receiving substantial NHS funding despite his controversial remarks reportedly targeting Diane Abbott.
Caulfield opted to condemn Hester’s comments but avoided directly addressing Ferrari’s inquiries regarding the need for a review of contracts with Hester’s company.
“I’m on the record with my comments about those and I stand by those – they were not acceptable comments to make. I don’t control the contracts the NHS has with individual organisations,” Caulfield responded when questioned by Ferrari.
Ferrari persisted, emphasising Caulfield’s role as a minister and the significance of her personal stance on the matter. Caulfield continued to deflect, asserting that NHS England manages contract decisions.
Despite Ferrari’s repeated attempts to extract Caulfield’s personal opinion, she remained steadfast in her position, prompting Ferrari to express frustration and move on from the topic.
Hester is alleged to have said Abbott, Britain’s longest-serving black MP, made him “want to hate all black women” and that she “should be shot”.
Downing Street described the reported remarks as “unacceptable” but refused to say whether they were racist at first.
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