Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy has drawn on his own painful experiences of racial abuse at school to call on Reform UK leader Nigel Farage to apologise for alleged racist and antisemitic behaviour during his teenage years.
Lammy's Personal Contrast with Farage's Response
Lammy, who also serves as Justice Secretary, said the testimony of more than twenty of Farage's former school contemporaries was "deeply troubling". The 53-year-old politician, whose parents emigrated from Guyana, contrasted the Reform leader's reaction with that of his own former bullies.
"I was at school at the same time as Nigel Farage, late 70s, early 80s, and I've had a few former classmates contact me and apologise for some of the racial abuse that I suffered in that particular era," Lammy stated. "He should do the same."
He emphasised the lasting impact of such treatment, saying: "That kind of treatment in teenage years is actually quite traumatic, very isolating. Reading those stories is deeply, deeply troubling. He's now the leader of a political party. He should do the right thing and apologise."
Detailed Allegations from School Peers
The allegations, published in a Guardian investigation, suggest Farage indulged in racist behaviour throughout his time at Dulwich College in south-east London. Multiple former pupils have provided detailed accounts.
Peter Ettedgui, an Emmy- and Bafta-winning director, claimed that a 13-year-old Farage "would sidle up to me and growl 'Hitler was right' or 'gas them'", sometimes adding a hiss to simulate gas showers.
Another former pupil, who was about nine years old at the time, alleged he was targeted by a 17-year-old Farage. He said Farage would ask him where he was from and then point away, saying "that's the way back" to wherever he replied.
Political Reactions and Farage's Denials
Farage, 61, has denied that anything he did as a young man was "directly" racist or antisemitic. He has conceded that "banter" from that era could be interpreted differently today, but has labelled the two dozen former classmates as politically motivated and not telling the truth. He has specifically denied Ettedgui's claims.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has described Farage as "spineless" over the issue. Attorney General Richard Hermer noted that in his defensive responses, Farage had not once actually condemned antisemitism.
"Arguing that 20 people have somehow all misremembered the same things about his nasty behaviour simply isn't credible," Hermer said.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan also expressed dismay at Farage's "desperate" denials, relating it to his own childhood experiences. "Being called the P-word at that age doesn't just hurt you, it changes you," Khan stated.
The growing pressure highlights a stark divergence in how two prominent political figures are addressing past allegations of racism, with Lammy's call for an apology remaining unanswered by the Reform UK leader.
