Kemi Badenoch has criticised Nigel Farage for refusing to apologise over alleged racist and antisemitic comments made while a pupil at Dulwich College. The Conservative leader said the number of former schoolmates making allegations meant the Reform UK leader should “put on his big boy pants” and say sorry.
Twenty-eight contemporaries of Farage have told the Guardian about allegedly experiencing or witnessing racist or antisemitic behaviour from him as a teenager. Among them, Peter Ettedgui claims Farage repeatedly told him “Hitler was right” and “gas them”, while Yinka Bankole says Farage told him “that’s the way back to Africa” when he was new to the school.
Speaking to TalkTV, Badenoch said the weight of evidence was significant and that Farage’s failure to apologise suggested he “doesn’t care” about hurting people. She added: “If he just said… ‘I was a kid, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said that’… this would all have gone away.”
Farage has cast doubt on the memories of his former schoolmates and denied making malicious comments, though he admitted he may have said offensive things “never with malice”. His lawyer has “categorically denied” any racist or antisemitic behaviour.
Badenoch said she was struck by the number of accusers, noting “it’s not one or two people, they’ve got like 20”. She questioned why Farage would not simply apologise, stating: “Nigel’s a big boy. He should just stand up… and just say… ‘I’m sorry.’”
