Former classmates from Dulwich College alleged that Nigel Farage made pro-Hitler comments, joked about gas chambers, and put someone in detention for the colour of their skin
Nigel Farage has broken his silence on allegations of racism when he was at school.
The Reform leader said the claims were from 49 years ago – and he would never racially abuse people in a “hurtful or insulting way” in a tense ITV interview. It comes after former classmates from his time at Dulwich College, in south London, alleged that Mr Farage made pro-Hitler comments, joked about gas chambers, and put someone in detention for the colour of their skin.
Speaking to the Guardian last week, award winning director and producer Peter Ettedgui, who was 13 at the time,alleged the Reform UK leader would tell him “Hitler was right”, or “Gas them” before adding a hiss to replicate the sound of the gas chambers. Another former pupil, who was not named, described being in a youth organisation called the CCF, during which they claimed Farage had taught songs about gassing Jews.
Patrick Neylan, 61, an editor, who was in the year below Farage, also recalled the singing of the “gas ’em” song on CCF camps. Tim France, 61, was in the same year as Mr Farage and claimed he would “regularly” perform the Nazi “Seig heil” salute. A Reform UK spokesman denied all the allegations last week, and claimed it was an attempt to smear the party.
In an interview with ITV News today, Mr Farage was asked if he racially abused fellow pupils when he was at school. Mr Farage replied: “No. This is 49 years ago by the way, 49 years ago. Have I ever tried to take it out on any individual on the basis of where they’re from? No.” Asked to categorically state that he did not racially abuse fellow pupils at school, he said: “I would never, ever do it in a hurtful or insulting way.”
The interviewer said: “That’s not quite the same as not doing it.” Mr Farage retorted: “It’s 49 years ago. It’s 49 years.” Asked what difference that made, he said: “I had just entered my teens. Can I remember everything that happened to 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.”
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Told he had caveated it and was not quite ruling this out, the interviewer asked again if he had racially abused fellow pupils. Mr Farage said: “Not with intent.” Pressed again, he said: “No, no I have never, directly, really tried to go and hurt anybody.”
There was no suggestion that Mr Farage as the adult holds the same views ascribed to him by others as a child, and other students have no recollection of the remarks or behaviour suggested by Mr Ettedgui.
In a statement when the allegations were published, a Reform spokesperson said: “These allegations are entirely without foundation. The Guardian has produced no contemporaneous record or corroborating evidence to support these disputed recollections from nearly 50 years ago.
“It is no coincidence that this newspaper seeks to discredit Reform UK — a party that has led in over 150 consecutive opinion polls and whose leader bookmakers now have as the favourite to be the next Prime Minister.
“We fully expect these cynical attempts to smear Reform and mislead the public to intensify further as we move closer to the next election.”