Farage breaks silence on racism allegations

Nigel Farage has broken his silence nearly a week after he was accused by about 20 people of racism and antisemitism as a teenager, saying he “never directly, really tried to go and hurt anybody”.

- Daniel Boffey Henry Dyer Mark Blacklock

His remarks follow the publication of a detailed investigation by the Guardian in which many of his school contemporaries claimed to be victims of, or witnesses to, repeated incidents of deeply offensive behaviour.

The Reform UK leader's aides emphatically denied the allegations, saying any "suggestion that Mr Farage ever engaged in, condoned, or led racist or antisemitic behaviour is categorically denied".

In an interview with ITV News yesterday Farage appeared to give a more nuanced response when he was asked if he had racially abused fellow pupils at school.

He replied: "No, this is 49 years ago by the way, 49 years ago. Have I ever tried to take it out on any individual on the basis of where they're from? No." The interviewer accused him of caveating his answer, and asked again if he categorically denied the claims.

"I would never, ever do it in a hurtful or insulting way," Farage responded. "It's 49 years ago. It's 49 years ago. I had just entered my teens. Can I remember everything that happened at school? No, I can't.