He later apologised for what he called rude comments. Plenty of people saw the remarks straightaway as racist but it took an age in political terms for rishi sunak to agree. At a rally on friday night in hackney, diane abbott told the crowd to stand firm against racism. This is about the way that black women are disrespected. Decade upon decade. The conservative Cabinet Minister and transport secretary, mark harper, spoke to laura kuennsberg, on her sunday morning programme, she asked him Whether Frank Hester� s comments were racist. Did you think these comments were racist . Yes, look, the Prime Minister made it very clear at Prime Ministers questions on wednesday that they were racist. It took him some time to do that. Did you think straight they were racist . You said it took an age in political terms but it didnt take long at all, the Prime Minister said it on wednesday and his spokesperson was clear the day before that they were racist comments and unacceptable. And frank hester apologised for those comments. That isnt what happened initially, it did take some time for Downing Street to say these comments were racist. They were rather dancing around the issue. In fact, until your cabinet colleague Kemi Badenoch said online that these were clearly racist, that was not what Downing Street was saying on the record. Im sure people wanted to make sure and check the facts. The Newspaper Reports Things and you want to check the facts are correct. Then i think the Prime Minister was very clear about it, that they were racist comments, they were unacceptable and wrong, and he made that very clear, his spokesman made it very clear, and he made it very clear in the House Of Commons on wednesday. I heard him and he was robust and clear. You know some of your colleagues thought it took too long and there was too much of a delay. Things happen very fast in politics and we had a very strong response from many viewers this week, it was clear straightaway. To give you some comments, Clyde Phillips says the alleged statement was to most of the population obviously racist and misogynistic. Another viewer said they were horrible, insensitive and racist. Another viewer, chris battle, said they were clearly racist and sexist. Why did Downing Street not straightaway agree with our viewers upon the description of the comments . We did agree with those. The Prime Minister was clear about it. You do want to check the facts. Just because a newspaper reports something, you want to check your facts. We were clear about it, they were racist comments. Frank hester has apologised for the comments. And we said we should accept his apology, which we have done. What is that you check because Downing Street was very happy to say these were rude, unacceptable and unpleasant comments. Downing street was not denying at that point that it had taken place. It was their description of what those words meant. And forgive me for labouring this point but this is absolutely vital. The Prime Minister was very clear about it. I was there in the House Of Commons on wednesday, he couldnt have been clearer. Having an argument about how many hours it took to say something, i dont really think is the issue here. Judgment matters. The issue is that the Prime Minister was clear those were racist comments, they were unacceptable and he was absolutely clear about it in terms when he was asked about it in the House Of Commons on wednesday. I was there and i heard him make that point very robustly. Having sent some of your colleagues out to say they were not to do with race or gender. But you made your point, Downing Street had to take its time. The other issue is money. He is as it stands your biggest owner. He has given £10 million. We know that. I will ask if he has given more. Our viewer Christopher Duncan wants to know why the party is hanging on to cash from someone who Rishi Sunak Has said has made racist comments. The donation predated his comments and we declared that in the usual way which is how people know he made that donation. He has made the comments, he apologised for them and the Prime Minister has made it very clear that the donation stands. You dont think he should give the money back . I dont. He made racist comments, they were unacceptable, the Prime Minister has made that clear and frank hester has apologised. He has and we should make that clear. He acknowledges they were wrong as well. He has not apologised for them being racist, he apologised for making rude remarks, the specifics of the apology are important. Has he or has he not given the conservatives another £5 million . We have declared the donation he has made. I am not involved in donations to the party. I am transport secretary, thats not what im involved with. In the future if there was a future donation that will be declared in the usual way but that is a hypothetical question that will be looked at. There are processes for looking at donations to Political Parties and declaring them. Im not involved in those but my understanding is, if there is a future one itll be looked at in the usual way and declared but that is a hypothetical question. It is not really a hypothetical question because there has been reporting this week from reputable organisations saying that he has offered another £5 million to the party. I think our viewers might have expected, with respect, mark harper, that you might have found this out before coming on the programme today. Because this is a matter of huge Public Interest. Did you not ask those involved to tell you . The donations he made in the past have been accepted and properly declared. Thats how people know they exist. If frank hester in the future were minded to make a donation to the party that would be looked at in the usual way and declared. But thats a hypothetical question about what might happen in the future. We know what has been declared about the nations that have been made already. Those are on their record and thats how people know about them. What happens in the future, its a hypothetical question that will be looked at in due course. For some of our viewers they might think of what the Prime Minister said when he moved in. Think of what the Prime Minister said when he moved in. Listen to this. This government said when he moved in. Listen to this. This government will said when he moved in. Listen to this. This government will have l this. This government will have integrity. This. This government will have integrity, professionalism and accountability at every level. He promised to hiuhest at every level. He promised to highest levels. At every level. He promised to highest levels. Theres at every level. He promised to highest levels. Theres been i highest levels. Theres been enormous Public Interest on Whether Frank Hester has given them 5 million more pounds. Isnt It A Contradiction between the promised rishi sunak made to the country about being accountable for integrity that you cant tell us what is going on . The donations frank hester what is going on . The donations frank hester has what is going on . The donations frank hester has made what is going on . The donations Frank Hester Has Made Have what is going on . The donations. Frank hester has made have been properly looked at, accepted and theyve been declared in the open and transparent way we are required to do and expect us. If there are future donations, i dont know Whether Frank Hester will make any donations. find Whether Frank Hester will make any donations. � ,. , �. ,~ Whether Frank Hester will make any donations. ,. , �. ,. ,. , donations. And you didnt ask anyone in the party . Donations. And you didnt ask anyone in the party . I donations. And you didnt ask anyone in the party . I dont donations. And you didnt ask anyone in the party . I dont know donations. And you didnt ask anyone in the party . I dont know whether i in the party . I dont know whether he will give in the party . I dont know whether he will give us in the party . I dont know whether he will give us donations in the party . I dont know whether he will give us donations in in the party . I dont know whether he will give us donations in the he will give us donations in the future. We have proper processes for checking they are acceptable and they are declared in the usual way. I dont know what is going to happen, whether he will give us more money. There are proper processes, and they will be declared in the usual way, as the Prime Minister said, so they are transparent and people can make judgments. Said, so they are transparent and people can makejudgments. D0 said, so they are transparent and people can make judgments. People can make udgments. Do the conservatives people can make judgments. Do the conservatives have people can make judgments. Do the conservatives have a people can make judgments. Do the conservatives have a problem people can make judgments. Do the conservatives have a problem with l conservatives have a problem with race . ~ ,. , conservatives have a problem with race . ~ ,. , race . Absolutely not. The Prime Minister said race . Absolutely not. The Prime Minister said we race . Absolutely not. The Prime Minister said we are race . Absolutely not. The Prime Minister said we are proudly race . Absolutely not. The Prime Minister said we are proudly led| race . Absolutely not. The prime i minister said we are proudly led by the first British AsianPrime Minister with the most ethnically diverse cabinet there has ever been. We are a party which welcomes people from across the uk, whatever their background, whatever their race. If they share our values and approach, we want everyone to be a member of the party and feel, but within it. Asked whether labour has a problem with racism, Harriet Harmen said that big money racism and sexism in politics need to be clamped down on. Even though theres been an advance of black people and women into politics, theres still a greater backlash, and that is what people are facing. It was so obvious that comments that was made, and downright dangerous. The only explanation is because of the money, is they hesitated to say what it was, because accepted such a huge amount for their election war chest and are clearly negotiating for more. What the conservatives did last year as they of the amount of Money Parties can spend at elections to enable themselves to spend more. I think theres a real problem with not only racism and sexism in politics, but big money, which needs to be clamped on. That politics, but big money, which needs to be clamped on. To be clamped on. That has often been a very to be clamped on. That has often been a very toxicity to be clamped on. That has often been a very toxicity mix to be clamped on. That has often been a very toxicity mix of to be clamped on. That has often | been a very toxicity mix of money to be clamped on. That has often i been a very toxicity mix of money in politics, no question. On Diane Abbotts view, is that labour has a problem with racism. Is abbotts view, is that labour has a problem with racism. Problem with racism. Is she right . We are you problem with racism. Is she right . We are you have problem with racism. Is she right . We are you have further problem with racism. Is she right . We are you have further to problem with racism. Is she right . We are you have further to go, we are you have further to go, keeper hawk eye on it. The danger you ensure you tackle disco nation is complacency. You should always look at your own thoughts and actions, because we have a big context. There was Research Last year which showed 75 of black women have experienced discrimination at work. That is the context. Who can say there is no problem . Weve got to recognise its been a terrible, evil problem, toxic in politics and generally. We have to fight against it, not saying we are all right. Should diane abbott be allowed back into the labour party . Its been one year shes been investigated for her letter. ~ �. ,. , letter. Weve got a independent complaints letter. Weve got a independent complaints procedure letter. Weve got a independent complaints procedure and letter. Weve got a independent complaints procedure and i letter. Weve got a independent | complaints procedure and i dont want to second guess them. I support keir starmer� s drive against anti semitism, but i would be sad if diane abbott leaves, ends her political career, and shes been an amazing trailblazer. Charles spencers speech at his sister princess dianas funeral is seared into the collective memory, venting his fury at how his sister had been hounded by the paparazzi. But, more than 25 years later, hes now revealing the secrets of his early life. Hes written a book about violent and sexual abuse at the Boarding School he was sent to when he was just eight years old. And how he and diana were hurt by one of their nannies, nanny forster, as children. Laura kuenssberg went to meet him at his familys 18th Century London home, Spencer House he started by telling me about his first day at the school. I remember the shock of the journey that day and being dropped there by my father. My father, very sweet, decent, loving man. And i look back and i know he hated doing it. In fact, he told me that was the worst day of his fathering for me. I mean, i went back through my family records, a lot of the people who lived here, over 300 years, and you can see this sort of conspiracy among the adults. They knew how brutal it was going to be for the little boys being sent away. And i dont blame my parents or any of the other parents for thinking it was the done thing at that time. I think the idea was that it was essential to blend with people from similar backgrounds, and to take the hard knock that the real brutal sort of heartbreak of being sent away from home. And in return you were going to be privileged and part of a set that you could rely on for the rest of your life. You say you felt cast out by your family, though. Does that feeling ever go away . Ithink. One of the things i had, actually, for the book, were my letters home, and i see this theme when i read them, that im always apologising. And i think i know that that was because the only way i could make sense of being sent to Boarding School at such a vulnerable age was that i must have failed somehow as a son. And i dont think any child should really have to feel that. Even before, though, you were sent away to school, you talk about some elements of your upbringing. You talk also about one of the nannies that looked after you and your sister banging your Heads Together painfully. That kind of discipline and perhaps that kind of violence. I mean, do you think that element of that at home had an effect on you and your sister before you were even sent away . I think that really damaging violence to children is going to affect them, whatever house they come from, whatever family they are born into. And that nanny who did that to us, i mean, she used to crack our Heads Together if we were both found to have done something naughty. Obviously without my fathers knowledge, but it really hurt. It wasnt a tap on the wrist, it was a cracking crunch, you know . And i remember it still. I have two older sisters and only later was it found out that a different nanny was punishing them by Ladling Laxatives down them and my parents couldnt work out why they were constantly ill. So you were dealing with a very unstructured world of privileged parents living parallel lives to their children. But you and diana and your other sisters were then brought up even in a Home Environment where staff, nannies who were hired to look after you, were hurting you. Hmm. Again, i dont think we realised that that was wrong. We knew it was painful and we knew it was something we wanted to avoid, but i think children dont know morality necessarily at that stage, or certainly the law. So it was something that we lived with. Lets talk then about when you arrived at school, and in the book, page after page after page describes terrible violence, what seems clearly like forms of paedophilia. Terrible abuse. And you set it out compellingly, brutally and very honestly. Is there a moment, though, in amongst all of that, that still particularly haunts you . I think the problem, why i called it a very private school, it was because it was dominated by a particular figure, the headmaster, whod closed down the school to the outside world. He constructed his dreamworld of having 75 little boys at his beck and call for sadistic thrashings and sexual thrills. If i look at one incident, it seems so minor, if i look at the catalogue of horrible things that happened, was this chilling moment when he caught us all in my dormitory, and the shee