Nigel Farage has addressed accusations of racism from his school days after staying silent for some time.
The leader of Reform UK dismissed the claims as being almost five decades old during a tense interview with ITV, emphasizing that he would never racially insult or harm individuals. Former classmates from Dulwich College in south London alleged that Farage had made pro-Hitler remarks, joked about gas chambers, and punished someone based on their skin color.
Award-winning director Peter Ettedgui, who was 13 at the time, recounted instances where Farage allegedly expressed support for Hitler and made disturbing comments about gas chambers. Another former student claimed that Farage taught songs about gassing Jews during their time in a youth organization called the CCF.
Additional individuals, including Patrick Neylan and Tim France, shared memories of Farage’s alleged inappropriate behavior, including singing offensive songs and performing Nazi salutes. A spokesperson for Reform UK firmly denied all allegations, labeling them as an attempt to tarnish the party’s reputation.
In a recent interview with ITV News, Farage denied racially abusing his school peers, stressing the significant time gap since the reported incidents. Despite being pressed by the interviewer, Farage maintained that he never intentionally harmed anyone based on their race during his school years.
It was clarified that there is no indication that Farage currently holds the same views as attributed to him during his youth, and some former students do not recall the behavior described by Ettedgui.
Reform UK responded to the allegations by asserting that there is no credible evidence to support the claims, suggesting a political motive behind the timing of the accusations as the party gains momentum in opinion polls.
As the controversy unfolds, it is expected that attempts to discredit Reform UK will escalate as the party approaches future elections.