Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has publicly addressed allegations concerning his conduct while a pupil at Dulwich College, firmly rejecting characterisations of racial abuse and describing the incidents as 'banter in a playground' from nearly five decades ago.
The Core Allegations and Response
The political figure spoke to reporters on Monday 24 November 2025, following a report by The Guardian which alleged he made racist and antisemitic comments during his time at the independent school in south London. When directly asked if he had racially abused fellow pupils, Mr Farage's initial response was a simple 'No'.
He emphasised the length of time that has passed, stating, 'And 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.' When pressed further, he provided a more nuanced answer, asserting he would never have acted in a 'hurtful or insulting way'.
A 'Caveated' Defence and Political Accusations
Mr Farage conceded that his memory of events from his early teenage years is not perfect. 'Can I remember everything that happened at school? No, I can't,' he told journalists. He firmly denied ever being part of an extremist organisation or engaging in direct, unpleasant personal abuse.
Confronted with the suggestion that his denial was 'very caveated' and that he was 'not quite ruling this out', the Reform leader elaborated. 'I've never directly really tried to go and hurt anybody,' he said. 'Have I said things 50 years ago that you could interpret as being banter in a playground that you could interpret in a modern light of day in some sort of way? Yes. Have I ever misspoken in my life in my younger days when I was a child? Probably.'
He concluded this line of reasoning by alleging a 'strong political element' behind the resurgence of these claims.
Context: The Ongoing Reform UK Racism Row
These historical accusations emerge amidst ongoing controversy for Mr Farage's party. Reform MP Sarah Pochin recently apologised for comments she made about advertisements featuring Black and Asian people, which she said 'drive me mad'.
While Mr Farage expressed that he was 'unhappy' about these 'ugly' remarks, he stated he did not believe they were 'racist'. This stance has drawn sharp criticism from Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, who labelled Mr Farage 'spineless' for failing to take action against Ms Pochin for what he called 'obvious racism'.
Sir Keir challenged the Reform leader to explain the latest school allegations and his handling of the conduct within his own party.
