Prime Minister Keir Starmer has sharply criticized Nigel Farage's handling of racism allegations from his school days, calling his response "unconvincing to say the least" and urging the Reform UK leader to apologize to those he may have hurt. The intervention came during Prime Minister's Questions on Tuesday, as pressure mounted on Farage over claims of racist and antisemitic behavior at Dulwich College in the late 1970s.
The Guardian reported last week that more than a dozen former schoolmates accused Farage of deeply offensive conduct throughout his teenage years. The 61-year-old Reform leader initially defended himself by dismissing such behavior as "banter in a playground" that could be misinterpreted "in the modern light of day". On Tuesday evening, he issued a categorical denial: «I can tell you categorically that I did not say the things that have been published in the Guardian aged 13, nearly 50 years ago.»
Starmer challenged Farage's earlier claim that he never engaged in racism "with intent". The Prime Minister said: «'With intent', what does that mean? Didn't engage with racism 'with intent'. I have no doubt that if a young Jewish student was hissed at to mimic the sound of a gas chamber, they would find it upsetting.» He added: «He clearly remembers some of what happened. He should seek those people out and go and apologise to them.»
Former classmates reject denials
Peter Ettedgui, a Bafta-winning film director and Farage's Jewish former classmate, told the BBC on Tuesday that the Reform leader was being "fundamentally dishonest" in his denials. Ettedgui claimed Farage had "repeatedly" approached him saying «Hitler was right» while both attended Dulwich College. In an interview with The Times, he rejected Farage's "banter" defense: «Banter was calling someone a y**, this was different, it was persistent. It was throughout the year that we shared a class, in class 3R, and we were seated in alphabetical order, 30-odd kids, I was right next to him.»
Andy Field, a GP who was two years below Farage at the school, called him a «complete liar» in an interview on BBC Radio Four's World at One programme. Field described witnessing disturbing behavior: «I'd see him goose-stepping through the playground and Nazi saluting on many occasions — that was quite a common occurrence. I'd also heard him saying things like Hitler was right and you escaped the gas chamber.» He added that after posting about the allegations on social media, he was «overwhelmed by people who got in contact with me» with similar claims.
Field explained his decision to come forward: «It feels timely to put it out there because he is favourite to be our next prime minister.» He described Farage's alleged behavior as «really nasty, thought-out comments» targeting children of color and Jewish pupils, not schoolboy banter.
Political pressure intensifies
Labour peer Lord Mann, the government's independent adviser on antisemitism, condemned Farage's response: «Nigel Farage's appalling attempt to shrug off serious allegations of antisemitism and other appalling forms of racism as playground banter is as insulting as it is unbelievable.» He called on Farage to «come clean with the British public about the full extent of his past behaviour and apologise to those who have bravely come forward».
Farage has attributed the timing of the allegations to a «strong political element», noting they emerged as Reform UK leads in some polls. He stated he has spent his career «fighting extremism and far-right politics» and has denied «any kind of racist behaviour» since 2013.
Note: This article was created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).
