Nigel Farage has broken his silence on allegations of racist behaviour during his school years, claiming he never engaged in such conduct "with intent" while attending an elite private institution.
School Days Controversy Emerges
The Reform UK leader directly addressed a newspaper investigation published by The Guardian containing allegations from more than a dozen of his former school contemporaries. These individuals recounted alleged incidents of deeply offensive behaviour throughout Mr Farage's teenage years at Dulwich College in south London.
A spokesman for the 61-year-old politician had previously denied the claims on his behalf, but Mr Farage offered a more nuanced response when questioned by broadcasters on Monday.
When pressed about the allegations, which date back nearly five decades, the Reform leader responded: "This is 49 years ago, by the way. Forty-nine years ago. Have I ever tried to take it out on any individual on the basis of where they're from? No."
Farage's Detailed Defence
As journalists continued to question him about the specific claims, Mr Farage provided several carefully worded responses that stopped short of an outright denial of using racist language.
"I would never, ever do it in a hurtful or insulting way," he stated when asked to categorically rule out engaging in racial abuse.
He further elaborated: "I had just entered my teens. Can I remember everything that happened at school? No, I can't. Have I ever been part of an extremist organisation or engaged in direct, unpleasant, personal abuse, genuine abuse on that basis? No."
When specifically questioned again about whether he had engaged in racial abuse at the prestigious school, Mr Farage offered his most telling response: "Not with intent." He clarified this statement by adding: "No, I have never directly, really tried to go and hurt anybody."
Mr Farage acknowledged that his behaviour might be viewed differently through a modern lens, 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."
However, he maintained his core position: "I've never directly racially abused anybody. No."
Political Fallout and Criticism
The response from political figures was swift and critical. Labour peer Lord Mike Katz expressed strong condemnation of Mr Farage's remarks.
"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," Lord Katz stated. "He seems to think that you can racially abuse people without it being hurtful and insulting. Let's be crystal clear: you can't."
The Labour peer also highlighted concerns about Mr Farage's leadership, noting: "Farage refuses to discipline the racist views of his MPs and he won't take action on the toxic culture within his party. He should finally come clean on claims over his past and apologise to those who bravely spoke out. Failure to do so would be yet more evidence that Farage is simply unfit for office."
Liberal Democrat president-elect Josh Babarinde also weighed in, criticising the Reform leader's approach: "The Reform leader's refusal to deny that he's said these racist remarks is unbecoming from someone who wants to be our next prime minister. The British people deserve a straight answer. It looks like the mask has slipped and fact-of-the-matter-Farage is turning into no-answers-Nigel."
Broader Reform UK Controversies
The school behaviour allegations emerged alongside other challenges facing Mr Farage's party. Questions were raised about his response to the sentencing of Nathan Gill, the former leader of Reform in Wales, who received a ten-and-a-half-year prison sentence for bribery related to pro-Russian speeches.
When asked whether he planned to investigate all his MPs regarding potential foreign influence, Mr Farage responded: "We are not a police force." He instead called for a much wider investigation into the influence of other countries on British politics.
Further scrutiny came from Labour, who pointed out that shortly after his interview, Mr Farage appeared on stage with Laura Anne Jones, Reform's only Senedd member, at a rally in Llandudno. Ms Jones is currently suspended from the Senedd for making a racial slur.
The convergence of these issues has created significant political headwinds for Mr Farage and his party as they attempt to position themselves as a credible force in British politics.
As the controversy continues to develop, all eyes remain on how Mr Farage will navigate these multiple challenges to his leadership and whether he will provide further clarification about his school years at Dulwich College.
