A group of 26 former pupils and a teacher from Dulwich College have united to demand a public apology from Reform UK leader Nigel Farage over allegations of racist and antisemitic behaviour during his school years.
Collective Accusations from the Past
In an open letter first published by The Guardian on Wednesday, 17th December 2025, the signatories directly challenge Mr Farage's repeated denials. The group, which includes filmmaker Peter Ettedgui and Liberal Democrat campaigner Martin Rosell, states they were either direct targets or witnesses to his conduct between 1975 and 1982.
The allegations include intimidating Jewish boys with references to gas chambers, telling a Black child aged nine or ten to "go back to Africa", and chanting racist ditties. They also accuse the young Farage of loudly expressing admiration for fascist leaders and organisations.
Farage and Reform's Response
Nigel Farage has consistently rebutted the claims, maintaining he never made racist comments in a "malicious or nasty way". He has suggested the allegations stem from "playground arguments or banter" and pointed to letters of support from other classmates, including Jewish ones, which he says contradict the accusations.
Reform UK's deputy leader, Richard Tice, dismissed the testimony as "made-up twaddle", while a party spokesperson labelled it a politically motivated "witch hunt" by left-wing media and the Labour Party to discredit Reform's poll lead.
Signatories Refute Political Motivation
The former schoolmates strongly deny any coordinated political campaign. They emphasise they represent a broad spectrum of professional backgrounds and political opinions and had not acted as a group before drafting this letter.
They also counter the suggestion they came forward only because Reform is leading in polls, citing previous reports of similar allegations dating back to 2013 in outlets like Channel 4 News, El Pais, The Independent, and a 2022 biography by Michael Crick.
The letter argues that while offensive comedy figures like Bernard Manning were part of the 1970s cultural climate, Farage's behaviour was exceptional because it involved direct, personal abuse aimed at specific children over many years, continuing until he was about 18.
Call for Accountability
The group concludes that while people should not necessarily be judged forever on youthful actions, those seeking high office must own their past. They call on Mr Farage to do three things:
- Recognise that the events happened.
- Apologise for them.
- Publicly renounce the racist, antisemitic, and fascist views he expressed.
The Labour Party has echoed this call for an apology. Anna Turley, Labour's Chairwoman, stated Mr Farage's refusal to give a proper answer was "shameful" and that his inability to explain his past behaviour suggested he had "something to hide".
Of the 26 signatories, 20 are named. Five former students and the one former teacher have chosen to remain anonymous.
