Nigel Farage is facing a concerted demand to apologise from more than two dozen of his former school peers, who have accused him of racist and antisemitic behaviour during his teenage years at Dulwich College.
Open Letter Expresses Collective 'Dismay and Anger'
In a powerful open letter dated 16 December 2025, 26 former students and a teacher from the prestigious private school in south-east London have expressed their "dismay and anger" at the Reform UK leader's response to a series of allegations first published by The Guardian in November. The signatories, who either claim to have been victims or witnesses, condemn Farage for what they describe as his refusal to acknowledge his past conduct and for dismissing their accounts as politically motivated.
The letter states: "While we agree that no one should be judged in later life on the basis of what they have said or done in their youth, those seeking high office need to own their past and demonstrate honesty." It adds that his denials have compelled them to come forward collectively.
Detailed Allegations Spanning School Years
The allegations, which the signatories say occurred between 1975 and 1982 when Farage was aged approximately 13 to 18, are detailed and specific. They include claims that Farage:
- Verbally abused Jewish, Black, and Asian heritage pupils.
- Expressed admiration for fascist leaders like Adolf Hitler and Oswald Mosley, and organisations such as the Nazis and the National Front.
- Told a young Black pupil, Yinka Bankole, to "go back" to Africa on multiple occasions.
- Made antisemitic comments to Peter Ettedgui, a Bafta-winning Jewish director, including saying "Hitler was right" and simulating the sound of gas chambers.
- Sang racist songs and chanted about gassing minority ethnic people.
The letter challenges Farage's characterisation of the behaviour as "playground arguments or banter," arguing it was a sustained pattern of targeted abuse that continued until he reached adulthood and occurred in multiple settings around the school.
Reform's Response and a Rebuttal from Peers
In response to the initial allegations, a Reform UK spokesperson dismissed them as "a naked attempt to discredit Reform and Nigel Farage" and "50-year-old smears." Farage himself has denied "directly" targeting anyone with racist abuse or having "intent" to hurt anyone.
The signatories directly rebut these claims in their letter. They state the accusation of political motivation is false, noting they represent a broad range of professions and political views and had not conspired as a group. They also point out that similar accounts have appeared in media reports since 2013, including on Channel 4 News and in a biography by Michael Crick, long before Reform's recent poll success.
"You have questioned the reliability of memory," they write. "Perhaps. But abusive and hurtful memories stick, and we have never forgotten. Each of us has separately given similar and consistent accounts."
The group concludes with three direct calls to action for Farage: to recognise the events happened, apologise for them, and renounce the racist, antisemitic, and fascist views they allege he held at Dulwich College.
