Farage urged to explain conspiracy theories linked to antisemitism he voiced in US media
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”.
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.”Sign up to First EditionOur morning email breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what’s happening and why it mattersafter newsletter promotionAnna 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.
Boris Johnson took four days off as NHS warned Covid could ‘overwhelm’ system
Boris Johnson took four days off from official government business during a key period in the UK’s Covid preparation when the NHS was bracing to be “overwhelmed” by the virus.Official disclosure for the period in February 2020 – described by the Covid inquiry as a “lost month” in the country’s crisis response – reveal Johnson enjoyed an extended break during the half-term holidays at Chevening, a governmental estate in Kent, where he spent time walking his dog and taking motorcycle rides.The former prime minister was questioned on his activities between 14 and 24 February 2020 when he appeared at the inquiry in December 2023. He said: “There wasn’t a long holiday that I took. I was working throughout the period and the tempo did increase
Twenty people allege he has a racist past. He denies it. Who’s telling the truth about Farage’s schooldays?
Nigel Farage has denied – albeit through a spokesperson – that he ever said anything racist or antisemitic when he was a teenager.The Guardian has spoken to 20 of his contemporaries while at Dulwich College in south London who say otherwise – more than half of them on the record.So, who is telling the truth? That has become the crux of the row that has engulfed the leader of Reform UK.His spokesperson insists “there is no primary evidence. It’s one person’s word against another” and he has accused the Guardian of seeking to smear Farage
‘America is British’. Heaven is ‘a socialist state’. David Attenborough is ‘anti-human’ – the startling theories of Reform MP Danny Kruger
He was a Conservative party big-hitter who wrote speeches for David Cameron and worked with Boris Johnson before he suddenly jumped ship. He talks family, flags and why Nigel Farage is ‘top dog’What I struggle to understand, I say to Danny Kruger in his office at Reform UK HQ, is why a serious Conservative, with a glittering future like yours, would defect to a party led by Nigel Farage? Indeed, the defection of Kruger, a heavy-weight on the Conservative right who served on the front bench and been tipped as a possible future leader, was seen as a major coup for Reform, catching commentators off-guard. Unlike previous deserters – Andrea Jenkyns, Jake Berry, Nadine Dorries – he was a sitting MP in a safe Tory seat. Plus, he was untarnished by the boisterous excesses of Boris Johnson and Liz Truss.But we’ve been around the houses a few times on this
Iqbal Mohamed becomes second MP to quit Your Party
A second MP within a week has quit Your Party in acrimonious circumstances, throwing yet more doubt on the viability of the leftwing group co-led by Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana.In a statement on X, Iqbal Mohamed, who was elected as the independent MP for Dewsbury and Batley last year, said his decision to leave was after “many false allegations and smears” against him and others, which he did not explain.Last Friday another independent MP involved in Your Party, Adnan Hussain, quit because of what he called “persistent infighting and a struggle for power” in the organisation.In his statement, Mohamed said he wished the best for Your Party, but that “after careful consideration” he had decided to leave it and remain as an independent.He wrote: “The many false allegations and smears made against me and others, and reported as fact without evidence, have been surprising and disappointing
Nigel Farage urged to root out Reform links to Russia after jailing of Nathan Gill
Nigel Farage is facing calls to investigate and root out links between Reform UK and Russia after one of his party’s former senior politicians was jailed for 10 years for accepting bribes from a pro-Kremlin agent.Keir Starmer said Farage had questions to answer about how this happened in his party. Nathan Gill, a former leader of Reform UK in Wales, admitted taking payments to make statements in favour of Russia.The sentencing came at the end of a damaging week for Farage in which the Guardian revealed accusations that he engaged in racist chants and comments while at school more than 40 years ago, which he denies.Reform UK remains about 10 points ahead in opinion polls, but Labour believes the party is vulnerable to criticism that Farage and his allies have been too pro-Russia, with the Gill case proving that a paid pro-Kremlin propagandist was allowed to rise to become a senior leader
Starmer rebuffs renewed talk of Andy Burnham leadership challenge
Keir Starmer has attempted to dampen the latest round of speculation about his leadership, insisting that one of his potential rivals, Andy Burnham, is doing a “really good job as mayor of Manchester” and warning colleagues not to waste their time briefing against each other.The prime minister gave his backing to Burnham on Thursday night as he travelled to the G20 summit in Johannesburg, after the Greater Manchester mayor repeatedly failed to rule out challenging Starmer for his party’s leadership during interviews on Thursday.Burnham’s comments reignited speculation over the prime minister’s future, with his party languishing in the polls and days away from a tax-raising budget that could define the rest of his term in office.Starmer said: “Andy’s doing a really good job as mayor in Manchester and we work very closely together.”He added: “Only two days after Labour party conference we were in Manchester together in the aftermath of the terrible attack on the synagogue there
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