Nigel Farage has dismissed allegations of racist and antisemitic bullying during his time at Dulwich College as “complete made-up fantasies”, claiming his accusers have “very obvious political motivation”. The Reform UK leader was responding to a Guardian investigation that gathered accounts from more than 30 former pupils, including an Emmy- and Bafta-winning director who recalled Farage repeatedly saying “Hitler was right” or “Gas them”.
Speaking at a Reform UK press conference, Farage refused to apologise to those making the allegations, which he has previously denied committing “with intent”. He said others could focus on “stuff that happened in the 1970s” but his party was looking ahead to the May local elections. The press conference also saw Laila Cunningham, a Muslim and former CPS prosecutor, announced as Reform’s candidate for London mayor in 2028.
Farage also addressed controversial remarks by fellow Reform candidate Chris Parry, who suggested deputy prime minister David Lammy should “go home” to the Caribbean. Farage described the comments as “over the top” and said Parry should apologise, while noting that Parry had also criticised many white politicians. Asked whether London was too diverse, Cunningham said the problem was not diversity but that certain parts of the capital had too much immigration, causing some long-term residents to feel displaced.
Earlier, Farage boycotted prime minister’s questions in the Commons to appear on Times Radio, saying it was “more worthwhile than sitting in the House of Commons being abused by a prime minister”. Labour MPs criticised his absence, with Chris Bryant writing that Farage was “not really an mp at all”.
