Nigel Farage is facing calls to explain why he repeatedly aired tropes and conspiracy theories associated with antisemitism during interviews, after claims the Reform UK leader used racist language in his teens.
In appearances on US TV shows and podcasts earlier in his political career, Farage discussed supposed plots by bankers to create a global government, citing Goldman Sachs, the Bilderberg group and the financier George Soros as threats to democracy.
These included six guest slots on the web TV show of the disgraced far-right US conspiracy theorist Alex Jones. Jones was successfully sued by bereaved parents after claiming the 2012 Sandy Hook elementary school massacre was faked.
During one interview with Jones in 2018, Farage argued that “globalists” were trying to engineer a war with Russia “as an argument for us all to surrender our national sovereignty and give it up to a higher global level”.
Farage also appeared six times on the web radio show of Rick Wiles, a far-right, antisemitic American pastor. Here, topics included whether central bankers would soon start to appoint leaders of the UK and US – an idea Farage did not challenge.
When the Guardian first reported these discussions in 2019, groups including the Board of Deputies of British Jews and the Community Security Trust, a charity providing support to the Jewish community in the UK, called on Farage to repudiate such ideas, many of which are associated with far-right and antisemitic conspiracy theories.
However, Farage never commented. The only response came from a spokesperson for the Brexit party, which Farage led at the time, calling the criticisms “manufactured” and “pathetic”.
Nigel Farage being interviewed by Alex Jones in 2018. Photograph: Infowars
In the wake of testimony from 20 people who claim they either witnessed or were victims of abusive or racist behaviour by Farage at Dulwich college in the late 1970s and early 1980s, MPs and others have called on Farage to explain his subsequent statements, which date from 2009 to 2018.
School contemporaries of Farage said he used racist terms of abuse, made comments such as like “Hitler was right”, and “Gas them”, and sang racist songs.
Spokespeople for Farage and Reform rejected the claims as completely untrue, saying the passage of time made accurate recollections impossible, and questioned why people were making the allegations now.
Christine Jardine, the Liberal Democrat MP who is vice chair of the all-party parliamentary group against antisemitism, said: “Nigel Farage clearly has aspirations for high office. It is, therefore, simply not good enough that he fails to explain his past choice of words, and allegations that have surfaced this week only serve to underline concerns about his outlook.
“He owes it to the public to use his platform to make clear not only his opposition to antisemitism but that he accepts his choice of words in previous interviews was unwise.”
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Anna Turley, the chair of the Labour party, said: “The rap sheet of disturbing remarks from Nigel Farage grows by the day, and it exposes the type of unpatriotic, dark and divisive politics Reform would unleash on this country.”
Another Lib Dem MP, Josh Babarinde, called Farage’s remarks “profoundly disturbing, but not surprising”. He said: “They paint a picture of a man who has continued to peddle conspiracy theories and tropes, and who has gone on to build a political career by spreading division and hate.
“Nigel Farage needs to explain why he said these things and whether he still subscribes to these conspiracy theories.”
Zack Polanski, the leader of the Green party in England and Wales, said: “We can judge Farage not just by the words he, allegedly, shouted as a child, but by the words and actions he has chosen to broadcast as an adult.
“Throughout his career he has chosen to echo conspiracy theories through the language of the far right and antisemites. This is deplorable. But will he ever take any responsibility for anything he says or does? I seriously doubt it.”
A spokesperson for Reform UK referred the Guardian to a representative for Farage, who was contacted for comment.
