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The Reform UK leader suggested there could be political motivations behind the claims
Nicole Wootton-CaneTuesday 25 November 2025 20:28 GMTComments
CloseFarage says he never engaged in racism ‘with intent’ amid schoolboy allegations
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Nigel Farage has insisted he “categorically” did not racially abuse fellow pupils during his time as a schoolboy at a top private school.
It comes after more than a dozen former pupils who attended Dulwich College in south London with Mr Farage accused him of making antisemitic and racist remarks in reports originally published by The Guardian.
The Reform UK leader appeared to leave open the possibility he may have made racist remarks without “intent” during an ITV interview on Monday night. When questioned about the claims, he said: “I would never, ever do it in a hurtful or insulting way.”
open image in galleryNigel Farage denies claims he made deeply offensive remarks to fellow pupils (PA Wire)But in a prepared statement given on Tuesday, he denied he had ever made such comments and suggested the claims were politically motivated.
“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,” he said in the statement.
“Isn’t it interesting: I am probably the most scrutinised figure in British politics, having been in public life for 32 years.
“Several books and thousands of stories have been written about me, but it is only now that my party is leading in the polls that these allegations come out. I will leave the public to draw their own conclusions about why that might be.
“We know that the Guardian wants to smear anybody who talks about the immigration issue. But the truth is that I have done more in my career to defeat extremism and far-right politics than anybody else in the UK, from my time fighting the BNP right up to today.”
Speaking to ITV on Monday night, the Reform leader was asked about claims of alleged incidents of deeply offensive behaviour throughout his teenage years.
“This is 49 years ago, by the way. Forty-nine years ago. Have I ever tried to take it out on any individual on the basis of where they’re from? No.”
open image in galleryMr Farage attended Dulwich College in London (Getty)Asked to categorically rule out that he had engaged in racial abuse, Mr Farage said: “I would never, ever do it in a hurtful or insulting way.”
As he continued to face questions about the allegations, he replied: “I had just entered my teens. Can I remember everything that happened at 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.”
When asked again if he engaged in racial abuse at the school, Mr Farage replied: “Not with intent.”
Asked to elaborate, he replied: “No, I have never directly, really tried to go and hurt anybody.”
Mr Farage added: “Have I said things 50 years ago that you could interpret as being banter in a playground, that you can interpret in the modern light of day in some sort of way? Yes.”
Asked then if this meant he had abused people, Mr Farage replied: “I’ve never directly racially abused anybody. No.”
Lord Mann, the independent advisor to the government on antisemitism, responded: "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.
"Farage needs to do the decent thing and come clean with the British public about the full extent of his past behaviour and apologise to those who have bravely come forward to share their deeply upsetting and disturbing experiences.
"The British people expect all their party leaders to act with integrity and humility and are unforgiving of those who choose not to. Nigel Farage must confront the seriousness of this situation and apologise in person."
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