Rattled leader of Reform UK, Nigel Farage, strongly refuted accusations of racism during his time at a prestigious private school. In a recent statement, the veteran politician dismissed the claims from almost five decades ago as a product of a concerted effort by the establishment to target him. This denial follows intense scrutiny after an ITV interview where he faced questions on the matter.
Former classmates from Dulwich College in London alleged that Farage made disturbing remarks supporting Hitler, joked about gas chambers, and reportedly discriminated against a student based on skin color. Notable filmmaker Peter Ettedgui, who was a young student at the time, claimed that Farage endorsed Hitler’s ideology and made unsettling references to gas chambers during their interactions.
Another former student, who chose to remain anonymous, recounted instances where Farage allegedly introduced songs with anti-Semitic themes during a youth organization meeting. Ettedgui further criticized Farage for dismissing the allegations as untrue, stating that the politician was being dishonest in his responses.
In his defense, Farage vehemently denied the accusations, emphasizing that he did not make the controversial statements attributed to him from his teenage years. He highlighted the timing of the allegations coinciding with his party’s surge in popularity and insinuated a political agenda behind the resurfacing of these claims.
Farage portrayed himself as a target of a deliberate smear campaign, asserting his track record of combating extremism and far-right ideologies in the UK. He pointed out that some of his accusers were political adversaries, including a prominent member of the Liberal Democrats. The Reform leader reiterated that the decades-old stories circulating about him were baseless and aimed at tarnishing his reputation.
Despite the controversy, there was no indication that Farage currently holds the same beliefs ascribed to him during his youth. Additionally, other former students from the same era did not recall the alleged remarks or behaviors described by Ettedgui.
In response to the published allegations, a spokesperson for Reform UK dismissed them as unfounded, lacking any verifiable evidence or documentation from the time. The party criticized the timing of the accusations, linking them to a broader effort to discredit Reform UK, which has consistently performed well in opinion polls and positioned Farage as a leading contender for future political roles. The party anticipated further attempts to smear their image as electoral events draw near.