Farage faces fresh racism allegations from former classmates

Three more school contemporaries who claim to have witnessed Nigel Farage's alleged teenage racism have rejected the Reform UK leader's suggestion it was "banter", describing it as targeted, persistent and nasty.

- Daniel Boffey Henry Dyer Mark Blacklock

One former pupil, Stefan Benarroch, claimed people emerging from a Jewish assembly at Dulwich college had been in the sights of Farage and others for taunts while a second, Cyrus Oshidar, described as “rubbish” the claim the Reform leader did not act with intent to hurt.

"Being called a Paki isn't hurtful?" Oshidar asked. A third, Rickard Berg, told the Guardian: "He's now in a position where he shouldn't be denying this. He's straight up lying." The Guardian has now spoken to more than 20 people who have alleged racist or antisemitic behaviour by Farage at school, including seven who said they recalled the targeted abuse of Peter Ettedgui, now an Emmy- and Bafta-winning director.

The alleged abuse spanned six years at the school - from age 13 to 18.

On Monday night, Farage broke his silence over allegations he had targeted fellow pupils for racial and antisemitic abuse, nearly a week after the Guardian published an investigation into his alleged conduct. His aides previously said "the suggestion that Mr Farage ever engaged in, condoned, or led racist or antisemitic behaviour is categorically denied".

In his broadcast interview, Farage changed tack and appeared to admit to saying things that could be construed as prejudiced today. But he denied any "intent" to inflict hurt on people due to their race or religion.