Starmer calls on Farage to explain allegations about his schooldays

Nigel Farage denies claims of racist behaviour during his days at a top public school and could take legal action over the allegations, his spokesman said.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer called on Mr Farage to explain himself over the claims about his behaviour while at Dulwich College as a teenager.

A spokesman for the Reform UK leader said he was not going to sue over the claims “at this stage” but asked if that was an option being kept open he said “potentially, yes”.

The Guardian’s report was based on allegations from more than a dozen school contemporaries of Mr Farage, 61, who recount incidents of deeply offensive behaviour throughout his teenage years.

Mr Farage’s spokesman said: “These allegations date back 45 years, and I think that at any point in time – when Nigel was leader of UKIP, when he stood in the 2010 general election, the 2015 general election, during Brexit, maybe in the 2019 general election –  you’d have to ask yourself, why this hasn’t come up before.”

He added: “Nigel is very clear, there’s no primary evidence.”

Mr Farage was “probably mischievous” at school but denies the allegations made in the Guardian, the spokesman said.

Among those making allegations in the Guardian was the Bafta and Emmy-award winning director Peter Ettedgui, 61, who claimed to have been verbally abused by Farage repeatedly as a 13- and 14-year-old.

“He would sidle up to me and growl: ‘Hitler was right,’ or ‘Gas them,’ sometimes adding a long hiss to simulate the sound of the gas showers,” Mr Ettedgui claimed of his experience of sharing a class with Mr Farage.

At Prime Minister’s Questions Sir Keir responded to a question from Reform’s Lee Anderson, who was next to Mr Farage in the Commons, by saying: “Last week his leader said he didn’t have time to condemn the racist comments of his fellow MP (Sarah Pochin).

“He also said he didn’t have time to condemn his party calling children in care ‘evil’.

“I wonder if he could ask his leader next door to him whether he’s got time for his explanation for the stories in today’s papers.”

The Prime Minister’s political spokeswoman said: “These are disturbing allegations and it’s vital that Nigel Farage urgently explains himself.

“You’ve heard the Prime Minister speak just this week about Farage’s weakness in the face of divisive politics in Reform’s ranks.

“He’s still not condemned the language or taken action against one of his MPs’ racist comments, refused to condemn them when asked last week. Reform is dragging our politics into a dark place.”