Thursday, December 18, 2025
Farage under pressure to apologise
The paper says that some 25 former pupils and one ex-teacher have come together for the first time to express "dismay and anger" at the Reform UK leader's reaction to the allegations in recent weeks:
Mr Farage has been facing increasing pressure to apologise after his former peers alleged he made racist and antisemitic remarks at school. Claims include Mr Farage saying “Hitler was right” and making references to Nazi gas chambers at his private secondary school Dulwich College.
Mr Farage has repeatedly denied the allegations, with Reform UK suggesting the claims are part of a smear campaign against him.
In a powerful letter, the 26 signatories said it is "false" to suggest their allegations are politically motivated, as they "represent a broad swathe of professional backgrounds and political opinions".
They added: "Most of us have had no contact since we left Dulwich. Until writing this letter, we have not acted as a group. We have neither plotted nor conspired. All we have in common is that we either directly experienced or witnessed your racist and antisemitic behaviour."
The signatories also said it was "not true" they had only come forward since Reform began leading in the polls, pointing to previous reporting from as far back as 2013 in which similar allegations were made.
Elsewhere, they said Mr Farage's recent denial "disturbs us" and said it is important people seeking high office "own their past". The letter continued: “While we agree that no one should be judged in later life on the basis of what they have said or done in their youth, those seeking high office need to own their past and demonstrate honesty.
“Your denials have caused dismay and anger, and compelled us to come forward. None of us has taken lightly the decision to speak up. It has been deeply troubling to revisit our memories, let alone to share them with journalists and the broader public.
“However, what disturbs us is less what happened years ago, hurtful as it was, but rather your refusal to acknowledge your past behaviour or apologise for it.”
The group also countered Mr Farage's suggestions "that the kind of language we recall you saying was typical of the cultural climate of Britain at the time".
While they said there was "some truth to this", they added: "However, these personalities did not make direct or personal remarks. They did not intimidate Jewish boys with references to perishing in gas chambers, as you did. They did not order a Black child of nine to ten years of age to go back to Africa, as you did. They did not chant vile racist ditties, as you did. Your behaviour was exceptional, even for those times."
However much the Reform leader wants it to, this issue is not going to easily go away.
