Holocaust survivors demand Farage apology over school antisemitism claims

A group of 11 Holocaust survivors have called on Nigel Farage to apologise over allegations of racism and antisemitism during his time at Dulwich College.

The survivors, some of whom endured Nazi death camps, wrote to Farage stating, “Let us be clear: praising Hitler, mocking gas chambers, or hurling racist abuse is not banter. Not in a playground. Not anywhere.”

They urged the Reform UK leader, “honesty, reflection and commitment to truth is the responsible response when it comes to allegations about ‘invoking Nazi attitudes’ towards Jewish children.”

The survivors include Hedi Argent, who lost 27 members of her family in the Holocaust.

Another member of the group, Simon Winston, was held in a ghetto before escaping in September 1942 and spending the rest of the war in hiding.

Another signatory is the cellist Anita Lasker-Wallfisch, who was sent to Auschwitz-Birkenau, where she spent nearly a year.

In October 1944, she was moved to Bergen-Belsen, where she was liberated by the British in April 1945.

The eight others are Janine Webber, Edith Jayne, Helen Aronson, Ruth Barnett, John Fieldsend, Susan Pollack, Hanneke Dye and Agnes Kaposi.

Their letter directly asked Farage: “Did you say ‘Hitler was right’ and ‘gas them’, mimicking gas chambers? Did you subject your classmates to antisemitic abuse? If you deny saying those words, are you saying that 20 former classmates and teachers are lying? If you did say them, now is the time to acknowledge you were wrong, and apologise.”

Farage has denied ever making racist remarks “in a malicious or nasty way”, stating that he could not remember everything he said 50 years ago, and adding that what was considered “banter in a playground” could be interpreted differently “in the modern light of day in some sort of way”.

Peter Ettedgui, a former classmate and one of the accusers, claimed that Farage “repeatedly” approached him and said “Hitler was right” while they were at school.

Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice has told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that Ettedgui was a liar and the former pupils coming forward had a “political axe to grind”.

Ettedgui, who is Jewish, stated: “Those who hope to lead our country should never divide people by race or religion. Antisemitic hatred must never be normalised.”

Farage, responding to recent questions, argued that BBC and ITV journalists were showing double standards, as their own outlets had aired programmes that would now be seen as racist.