Michael Gove refuses three times to say whether Frank Hester’s comments were extremist

Michael Gove refused repeatedly when asked if a Tory donor’s alleged comments calling for an MP to be “shot” would be deemed extremist under the government’s new task force.

Businessman Frank Hester is alleged to have said that Diane Abbott, Britain’s first black female MP, made him “want to hate all black women” and that she “should be shot”, in comments the Prime Minister described as “racist” after initially refusing to do so.

Appearing on BBC Breakfast on Thursday (14 March), presenter Naga Munchetty asked Mr Gove repeatedly if the alleged comments would be deemed extremist.