The deputy leader of Reform UK has launched a fierce defence of Nigel Farage, dismissing multiple allegations of the party leader's teenage antisemitism and racism as "made-up twaddle" from people with a "political axe to grind".
Allegations of Historical Abuse Dismissed
Richard Tice made the remarks during a tense interview on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, directly accusing a group of school contemporaries of lying. The allegations, first reported by the Guardian, centre on Farage's time at Dulwich College in the 1970s.
The most prominent accuser is Peter Ettedgui, a Bafta- and Emmy-winning film director who is Jewish. Ettedgui alleges that a teenage Farage would approach him and say "Hitler was right" and "gas them", sometimes adding a hissing sound to simulate gas chambers.
The Guardian has spoken to about two dozen witnesses who corroborate accounts of racist and antisemitic remarks made by Farage between the ages of 13 and 18. Eight contemporaries have specifically backed Ettedgui's testimony.
Tice's Blunt Denial on National Radio
When presenter Emma Barnett asked if telling a Jewish person "Hitler was right" constituted direct racial abuse, Tice replied, "Yes I do … I can’t believe anybody would have said that". He then branded the claims "made-up twaddle from people who don’t want Nigel to be prime minister of the country".
Asked directly if he believed Ettedgui was lying, Tice stated, "Yes." He expanded, saying, "I think this is made-up twaddle by a whole bunch of people. These people have a political axe to grind."
Tice questioned the timing of the allegations, noting it was "funny" they weren't remembered "three years ago, six years ago, 10 years ago, 15 years ago". He also cited his and Farage's record of opposing antisemitism, referencing their stance on pro-Palestinian protests after the October 7 Hamas attacks.
Farage's Shifting Position and Political Fallout
Nigel Farage's response to the allegations has evolved. Initially, his lawyers categorically denied he ever engaged in racist or antisemitic behaviour. Later, in a BBC interview, he stated he could not remember everything from nearly 50 years ago but denied "direct, unpleasant, personal abuse". He subsequently issued a new statement saying, "I can tell you categorically that I did not say the things that have been published in the Guardian aged 13."
Peter Ettedgui responded to these denials in the Guardian, calling them "more dishonesty". He wrote, "As the victim of his verbal abuse, I can assure you that I do recall it all vividly. The cruelty of Farage’s words transcended typical schoolkid banter even back then in the 1970s."
The controversy comes at a sensitive time for Reform UK. YouGov polling showed the party's support slipping from 29% in mid-September to 25% by 1 December, though it retains a significant base.
Labour Party chair Anna Turley condemned Tice's comments, stating it took "serious courage" for victims to come forward. She urged Farage and Tice to "urgently apologise" instead of "repeatedly changing their story".
The row over historical allegations continues to cast a shadow over Reform UK as it seeks to maintain its momentum in the British political landscape.
