From ‘move on’ to ‘racist and wrong’: how the Tory line on Frank Hester shifted

A former minister said Rishi Sunak’s government keeps ‘sending ministers out with lines that are obviously unsustainable’. Photograph: Wiktor Szymanowicz/Rex/Shutterstock

As the first minister sent to defend Frank Hester after the Guardian revealed his comments about Diane Abbott, Graham Stuart could not hide his unease.

“Clearly, it’s uncomfortable, I’m uncomfortable talking about this now, because he was clearly wrong,” the energy minister told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme on Tuesday morning. “But we need to show understanding – and the important thing was, he did apologise.”