Farage condemned by Jewish Labour peer over ‘no intent’ response to racism allegations
Lord Mike Katz says Farage appears to be saying 'you can racially abuse people without it being hurtful and insulting'
A Jewish Labour peer has strongly criticised Nigel Farage after the Reform UK leader said he never engaged in racist behaviour “with intent” while he attended a top private school.
Farage directly responded to a newspaper report about his behaviour while at Dulwich College, south London, as a teenager, based on allegations from more than a dozen school contemporaries of his, who recount alleged incidents of deeply offensive behaviour, including claims of antisemitism, throughout his teenage years.
A spokesman for the Reform leader previously denied the claims on his behalf, but in an interview with broadcasters on Monday, Farage appeared not to be so forthright.
Responding, Lord Mike Katz, former chair of the Jewish Labour Movement, said: “Just when you thought Nigel Farage couldn’t sink any lower, he is trying to say abhorrent racist comments, including vile antisemitic insults, that don’t matter.
“He seems to think that you can racially abuse people without it being hurtful and insulting. Let’s be crystal clear: you can’t.
“Farage refuses to discipline the racist views of his MPs, and he won’t take action on the toxic culture within his party. He should finally come clean on claims over his past and apologise to those who bravely spoke out.Failure to do so would be yet more evidence that Farage is simply unfit for office.”
Asked about the claims, the Reform leader replied: “This is 49 years ago, by the way. Forty-nine years ago. Have I ever tried to take it out on any individual on the basis of where they’re from? No.”
Asked to categorically rule out that he had engaged in racial abuse, Farage, 61, said: “I would never, ever do it in a hurtful or insulting way.”
As he continued to face questions about the allegations, he replied: “I had just entered my teens. Can I remember everything that happened at school? No, I can’t.
“Have I ever been part of an extremist organisation or engaged in direct, unpleasant, personal abuse, genuine abuse on that basis? No.”
When asked again if he engaged in racial abuse at the school, Farage replied: “Not with intent.”
Asked to elaborate, he replied: “No, I have never directly, really tried to go and hurt anybody.”
Farage added: “Have I said things 50 years ago that you could interpret as being banter in a playground, that you can interpret in the modern light of day in some sort of way? Yes.”
Asked then if this meant he had abused people, Farage replied: “I’ve never directly racially abused anybody. No.”
Liberal Democrat president-elect Josh Babarinde said: “The Reform leader’s refusal to deny that he’s said these racist remarks is unbecoming of someone who wants to be our next prime minister.
“The British people deserve a straight answer.
“It looks like the mask has slipped and fact-of-the-matter-Farage is turning into no-answers-Nigel.”
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