Nigel Farage has denied ever saying anything racist 'with malice' as he launched a tirade against the BBC over allegations of abuse from his school days. The Reform UK leader refused to call his accusers liars but attacked the broadcaster for questioning him about alleged antisemitic comments made nearly 50 years ago.
Farage's deputy, Richard Tice, had earlier dismissed the testimony of former classmates as 'made-up twaddle' after being pressed by the BBC's Emma Barnett about Farage's 'relationship with Hitler'. A Jewish former classmate claimed Farage had said 'Hitler was right' or 'Gas them'. Farage criticised Barnett as a 'lower-grade presenter' and demanded an apology from the BBC for programmes from the 1970s and 1980s that would be viewed as racist today.
Farage read out a letter from a former Jewish schoolmate at Dulwich College who said he never heard Farage racially abuse anyone, describing the allegations as 'politically dubious recollections from nearly half a century ago'. The letter stated that while there was 'macho tongue-in-cheek schoolboy banter', it was 'never with malice'.
When pressed by ITV, Farage attacked the broadcaster for featuring racist comedian Bernard Manning. Asked whether the alleged comments happened but were experienced differently by classmates, Farage said: 'Recollections may vary.' Labour chair Anna Turley said Farage should apologise to victims of his 'appalling remarks', while the Conservatives claimed he had admitted the allegations were true.
