Farage says he ‘never directly racially abused anybody’ after school-age allegations surface
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage insisted he has “never directly racially abused anybody” after a report alleged he made antisemitic remarks while a schoolboy in south London.
More than a dozen former pupils accused Farage of using antisemitic language, singing songs referencing gas chambers and performing Nazi salutes. The report also cited a 1981 letter from a teacher describing Farage as having “publicly professed racist and neo-fascist views.” Some former students, however, said they did not recall racist behaviour, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.
Speaking to BBC News, the 61-year-old Brexit campaigner rejected the allegations, saying he had “never” targeted anyone based on their background.
“Have I ever tried to take it out on an individual because of where they’re from? No,” he said. “I would never do anything in a hurtful or insulting way.”
He acknowledged saying things decades ago that might now be interpreted differently, adding: “Not with intent… I don’t think I did anything that directly hurt anybody.”
Farage and his anti-immigration Reform UK party — currently leading in opinion polls — have repeatedly faced accusations of tolerating racism, which both deny. The party has expelled several members in recent years for inappropriate or offensive comments.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the allegations “disturbing” and urged Farage to clarify his past behaviour. Starmer also accused him of failing to tackle “obvious racism” within his party after Reform UK member Sarah Pochin apologised for saying that adverts “full of Black people, full of Asian people” did not reflect society.
Farage condemned her remarks as “ugly” but said they were not racist — prompting Starmer to label him “spineless.”
Reform UK has denied all allegations published by The Guardian.
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