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Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK, has responded to accusations of racism and antisemitism from former schoolmates, firmly stating that he has “never directly racially abused anybody.” These claims emerged from an investigation by The Guardian, which gathered testimonies from around 20 individuals who attended Dulwich College alongside Farage. They alleged that he made racially and antisemitically offensive remarks during their school years, accusations that Farage’s spokesperson has denied.
In his first direct address to the media regarding these allegations, Farage, aged 61, clarified what he meant by “directly” abusing someone on racial grounds, explaining, “By taking it out on an individual on the basis of who they are or what they are.” He also rejected calls for an internal probe into his party in the wake of the conviction of Nathan Gill, a former Welsh Reform UK leader, who was recently sentenced to over ten years in prison for accepting bribes connected to pro-Russian activities.
Specific allegations cited by The Guardian included Farage allegedly making jokes about gas chambers and punishing a student with detention due to their skin color during his time as a prefect. Farage acknowledged that some things he said decades ago could now be perceived differently, stating, “Have I said things 50 years ago that you could interpret as being banter in a playground, that you can interpret in the modern light of day in some sort of way? Yes.” Yet, he maintained he never engaged in deliberate racial abuse, insisting, “I’ve never directly racially abused anybody. No.” He attributed some of the tension with former school peers to political disagreements rather than personal racial animosity, denying any involvement in extremist groups or malicious abuse.
Pressed repeatedly, Farage emphasized that he would “never, ever do it in a hurtful or insulting way,” though he conceded that some people might have taken offense to things he said unintentionally, adding, “I hope not.” Farage further defended his right to free speech, acknowledging that sometimes remarks provoke offense, but insisted this was part of expressing open discourse. When questioned about offering apologies to those who accused him of racist behavior, he refused, saying, “No, I’m not, because I don’t think I did anything that directly hurt anybody.”
In a separate discussion, Farage addressed the conviction of Nathan Gill, a former UKIP and Reform UK MEP who was found guilty of accepting bribes to make pro-Russian statements during his time in the European Parliament. Farage condemned Gill’s actions as “an absolute and total disgrace” and said the party unequivocally disowned his conduct. When asked about the possibility of further investigations into Russian influence within Reform UK, Farage declined, explaining he was not equipped like law enforcement to pursue such inquiries. Instead, he suggested that intelligence agencies such as MI5 should lead broader investigations into foreign interference in UK politics. He expressed confidence “as I can be” that no others within the party had engaged in similar wrongdoing, describing the Gill scandal as a “very minor embarrassment for Reform.” Farage also mentioned having had no contact with Gill or his leadership since the latter’s conviction.
Responses to Farage’s statements were sharply critical. Liberal Democrat President-Elect Josh Babarinde MP condemned Farage’s reluctance to deny the racist remarks outright, calling it “unbecoming from someone who wants to be our next prime minister” and accusing him of evasiveness. Labour representatives accused Farage of effectively suggesting it was possible to racially abuse people without causing harm. Lord Mike Katz, a Labour peer and former chair of the Jewish Labour Movement, urged Farage to “come clean” about the allegations, warning that failing to do so would prove he is “simply unfit for office.” Katz condemned Farage’s comments, stating, “Just when you thought Nigel Farage couldn’t sink any lower, he is trying to say abhorrent racist comments, including vile antisemitic insults, doesn’t matter… Let’s be crystal clear: you can’t.
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
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