Holocaust survivors call on Nigel Farage to apologise for alleged racist abuse
A group of Holocaust survivors has called on Nigel Farage to apologize for allegations of racism and antisemitism during his school days.
The Reform UK leader faced allegations over his behavior while he was a student at Dulwich College, a top private school in south London.
Mr Farage denied at a press conference on Thursday that he had made racist remarks “maliciously or maliciously” after an incident. Guard The report, based on allegations from more than a dozen of Mr Farage’s school contemporaries, described alleged incidents of highly aggressive behavior throughout his teenage years.
He has previously spoken about claims that what could be considered “playground banter” could be interpreted “somehow in modern day light”.
The 11 signatories, some of whom were death camp survivors, write that they “understand the danger of hateful words” and call on the Clacton MP to admit whether he said them himself or whether he is accusing those who say he did of lying.
“Let’s be clear: Praising Hitler, mocking gas chambers, or engaging in racist abuse is not a joke. Not on the playground. Not anywhere,” they wrote.
They add that “honesty, thoughtfulness, and commitment to truth” are the responsible response when it comes to allegations of “promoting Nazi attitudes” toward Jewish children.
“So we ask you: Did you say ‘Hitler was right’ and say ‘gas them’, imitating the gas chambers? Did you subject your classmates to antisemitic abuse?
“If you deny that you said these words, are you saying that 20 of your former classmates and teachers lied? If you did, now is the time to admit you were wrong and apologize.”
It comes as Prime Minister Keir Starmer launched a new scathing attack on the Reform UK leader, accusing him of being a “toxic, divisive disgrace” and referring to it as “the cultural collapse of Glasgow” over claims that one in three schoolchildren in Glasgow do not speak English as their first language.
Farage’s former classmate Peter Ettedgui, whose Jewish grandparents fled Nazi Germany, is among those who have accused the politician of making racist remarks to him during their school days.
Mr Ettedgui claimed Mr Farage approached him “repeatedly” while he was a student at the school and told him “Hitler was right”.
“Those who hope to lead our country should never divide people based on race or religion. Anti-Semitic hatred should never be normalized.”
Holocaust survivors who signed the letter include Hedi Argent, who fled Austria and lost 27 members of her family, and Simon Winston, who was held in a ghetto in the German-occupied Soviet Union.
The latest intervention came after Mr Farage repeatedly shouted the name of controversial comedian Bernard Manning at reporters as part of a bizarre rant when he was asked about the allegations.
The Reform UK leader also criticized the BBC for blackface and homophobia, accusing the broadcaster of “double standards”, saying the BBC broadcast it repeatedly in the 1970s.
Answering a question about whether his former schoolmate lied at the press conference, Mr Farage said: Today program reporter Emma Barnett “low marks”.
He later accused the broadcaster of “double standards and hypocrisy” over television programs such as: Black and White Minstrel ShowIt has been criticized for its “blackface” and the appearance of Mr. Manning.
He then shouted the name “Bernard Manning” at a journalist from ITV who asked a similar question.
The comedian, who describes himself as the king of offensive jokes, has repeatedly come under fire for the content of his act.
He was filmed secretly making racist jokes at a police charity dinner in the 1990s and was criticized by then prime minister John Major. One Labor MP even asked the attorney general to consider charging the comedian with inciting racial hatred over his stream of racist insults and jokes.
