Why I wrote letter in 1981

Once upon atime - in June 1981 - I wrote aletter to the then master of Dulwich college, David Emms, about a teenage pupil named Nigel Farage.

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My letter followed a heated meeting between Emms and my Common Room [teaching staff] colleagues, during which a number ofushad objected to Emms’ inclusion of Farage ina list of nominations for new prefects.

Twas young English teacher, in my late 20s, at the time. Ineither taught Farage nor knew him personally, but [had been hearing about him from colleagues and from boys I taught.

Inhis book about Farage, Michael Crick quotes Emms describing Farage, retrospectively, as having been a “naughty boy” who had “got up the noses” of staff because of his “chirpiness and cheekiness”.

But in 1981 we had taken amore serious view of Farage’s reputation and behaviour, arguing that it was inappropriate for him to be rewarded and that he was nota suitable role model for other pupils. Iwas therefore dismayed when Ilearned that Emms intended to override the meeting and proceed with Farage’s appointment.

Iwrote a personal letter to Emms, setting out in detail why Idisagreed. We hada cordial meeting to discuss the matter, but he would not be swayed from his decision. Farage’s appointment went ahead and I imagined that my letter had been consigned to Emms’ waste paper basket.

Regarding my motivation for writing the letter, it was not the case (as suggested by a past deputy master, Terry Walsh, in Channel 4’s programme in 2013) that I objected to Farage’s appointment because I was part of some Common Room “leftist” element.

Iwas not then and never have beena member ofa political party (indeed I have, over the years, voted differently in local and in general elections). Nor, of course, did any of us anticipate that Farage would subsequently become a politician: at that time he appeared to be focused ona City career.