Reform UK leader Nigel Farage erupted in anger during a press conference, delivering a blistering attack on the BBC after journalists quizzed him about historic allegations of racism and antisemitism.
Farage's Furious Response to Racism Questions
The political firebrand lost his temper on Thursday, 4th December 2025, when asked about claims made by more than a dozen former classmates from Dulwich College in south London. The allegations, dating back to the 1970s and 80s, suggest Farage made pro-Hitler comments, joked about gas chambers, and discriminated against a pupil based on skin colour.
Farage's fury was triggered specifically by a question about whether his deputy, Richard Tice, was wrong to dismiss the allegations as "lies". Instead of addressing the claims directly, Farage pivoted to a searing criticism of the BBC's own historical output.
The BBC's 'Double Standards' Under Fire
In a dramatic rant, Farage demanded an apology from the broadcaster "for virtually everything you did throughout the 1970s and 80s". He highlighted shows like The Black and White Minstrels and It Ain't Half Hot Mum, which featured blackface, and the character Alf Garnett from Till Death Us Do Part, who used racial slurs.
"The double standards and hypocrisy of the BBC are absolutely astonishing," Farage stated. "At the time I was alleged to have made these remarks one of your most popular weekly shows was the Black and White Minstrels."
He also referenced the comedian Bernard Manning's prime-time appearances, suggesting such content would lead to legal repercussions today. "I cannot put up with the double standards of the BBC about what I'm alleged to have said 49 years ago, and what you were putting out on mainstream content," he declared.
Fallout and Political Reactions
The spectacle prompted immediate backlash. A Conservative Party spokesman seized on the moment, stating: "Nigel Farage just called a press conference and used it to rant at journalists over historic allegations of racism and antisemitism - allegations he has just admitted are true."
Meanwhile, Reform UK has categorically denied all allegations, labelling them a politically motivated "smear campaign". Deputy Leader Richard Tice had earlier dismissed the claims as "made-up twaddle" from people with a "political axe to grind" who don't want Farage to become Prime Minister.
Among the accusers is award-winning director Peter Ettedgui, who was 13 at the time. He told The Guardian the Reform leader would say "Hitler was right" or "Gas them", mimicking the sound of gas chambers.
In his defence, Farage read a letter from a Jewish former pupil who stated he never heard Farage racially abuse anyone "with malice". Farage himself insists he would never abuse people in a "hurtful or insulting way".
The incident has further intensified scrutiny on Reform UK, with Labour peer Lord Katz criticising Tice's defence as "shameful", particularly his claim that "no one has stood up against antisemitism more than Nigel and I".
